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THE  LIFE 


GEORGE     FOX; 


DISSERTATIONS  ON  HIS  YIEWS 

CONCERNING 

THE  DOCTRINES,  TESTIMONIES,  AND  DISCIPLINE 
OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

BY 

SAMUEL    M.    JANNEY, 

AUTHOR   OP   THE    LIFE    OP  WILLIAM  PENN. 


"If  ye  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  happy  are  ye." — 1  PETEE  iii.  14. 

"  And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for 
ever  and  ever." — DANIEL  xii.  3. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
LIPPINCOTT,    GRAMBO  &  CO. 

1853. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1853,  by 
SAMUEL   M.  JANNEY, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Virginia.  * 

BTEBEOTYPED  BY  J.  FAQ  AN.  FEINTED  BY  T.  K.  AND  P.  O.  COLLINS. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

Protestant  Reformation — State  of  society  in  England  in  the  middle 
of  the  17th  century. 17 

CHAPTER  II. 

Birth  and  parentage — Serious  deportment — Withdraws  from  com- 
pany— Temptations — Goes  to  London — State  of  Society  there — 
Returns  to  Drayton,  visits  Priests  and  professors  of  religion — 
His  distress  of  mind — Religious  exercises — Travels  into  Derby- 
shire, Leicestershire,  and  Nottinghamshire — Elizabeth  Hooton 
convinced — George  Fox  appears  in  the  gospel  ministry.  1624-48  30 

CHAPTER  III. 

His  views  on  gospel  ministry — On  lawyers,  physicians  and  priests — 
On  understanding  the  Scripture — He  goes  into  the  "  steeple- 
house"  at  Nottingham — The  "  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  ;; — 
He  is  cast  into  prison — Taken  to  the  Sheriff's  house — Again  in 
jail — Released  and  travels  in  the  ministry — Is  beaten  and  abused 
at  Mansfield — Reproves  the  Ranters  at  Coventry — Meets  with 
Priest  Stevens — Prays  for  a  sick  man,  who  is  healed — Attends  a 
meeting  at  Derby  —  Is  examined  and  committed  to  prison. 
1648-50 45 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Preaching  of  George  Fox  in  steeple-houses  considered — His  letter 
to  Colonel  Barton — To  the  Mayor  of  Derby  concerning  oaths — 
Conversation  on  perfection — The  jailer  convinced — Epistle  of 
George  Fox  to  Friends — Is  visited  by  his  relations — Refuses  to 
give  bond  for  good  behaviour — Abused  by  the  magistrates,  and 
remanded  to  prison — His  letter  to  the  justice  and  to  the  priests — 
A  trooper  convinced — George  Fox  refuses  a  captaincy — Is  put  in 
jail  among  the  felons — Letter  to  the  judges  on  the  penal  laws — 
Epistle  to  Friends.  1650-1 60 


Vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Release  from  prison — Visits  Litchfield — Passes  through  Notting- 
hamshire, Derbyshire  and  Yorkshire — Convincement  of  R.  Farns- 
worth — J.  Nayler  and  W.  Dewsbury — Preaches  at  Beverly — 
Visits  Justice  Hotham — Consternation  of  a  priest — Visits  York 
minster — Rudely  treated — At  Cleaveland  meets  with  Ranters — 
Meeting  at  Malton — At  Pickering — A  clergyman  convinced,  -who 
travels  with  him — Passes  through  Patrington — Is  apprehended — 
Searched  by  a  Justice  and  set  at  liberty — Forgives  his  persecu- 
tors— Ascends  Pendle-hill — A  vision — Convincement  of  many  in 
the  Dales  of  Yorkshire.  1651 76 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Meeting  at  Firbank  chapel  —  Convincement  of  Francis  Howgill, 
J.  Camm,  John  and  Ann  Audland — Meetings  at  Kendal  and 
Underburrow — Convincement  of  E.  Burrough — Swarthmore — 
Convincement  of  Margaret  Fell  and  family,  among  whom  were 
Thomas  Salthouse,  Wm.  Caton,  and  Ann  Clayton.  1652 89 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Able  coadjutors  of  George  Fox — Several  clergymen  convinced — 
The  clergy  instigate  persecution — At  Ulverstone  George  Fox  is 
abused  by  the  people — His  wonderful  recovery — His  conversation 
•with  a  soldier — He  and  James  Nayler  cruelly  beaten  at  "Wal- 
ney — Judge  Fell  issues  warrants  to  apprehend  the  rioters — Mag- 
nanimity of  George  Fox — At  Lancaster  assizes  he  contends  with 
the  priest — Is  victorious — Epistle  of  George  Fox.  1652 102 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Prediction  concerning  the  Long  Parliament — Views  on  Prophecy 
and  Miracles — Convincement  of  A.  Pearson — Letter  from  him — 
Journey  to  Cumberland — Controversy  with  a  Priest — Meetings 
at  Cockermouth,  Bingham,  and  Carlisle — Imprisonment  of  Geo. 
Fox  at  Carlisle — Is  beaten  by  the  Jailer — Sings  while  beaten — 
Challenge  to  his  persecutors — Cromwell's  Parliament — Liberation 
of  George  Fox — Convincement  of  J.  Parnel  and  John  Stubbs — 
Ministry  of  John  Stubbs  and  S.  Fisher — Their  visit  to  Rome — 
George  Fox  on  Perfection — His  account  of  Friends'  prosperity — 
Convincement  of  George  "Whitehead  and  John  Burnyeat.  1653  114 

CHAPTER  IX. 

George  Fox  leaves  Swarthmore — At  Drayton  meets  N.  Stevens — 
Controversy  with  him — Arrested  by  Col.  Hacker  and  taken  to 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

London — Interview  with  Cromwell — Great  meetings  in  London — 
Settlement  of  Friends'  meetings  in  the  city — Letter  from  A.  Pear- 
son— Second  visit  to  Whitehall — Cromwell's  news-monger — His 
triers  of  the  clergy  —  George  Fox  travels  in  Kent  and  Sus- 
ses— Visits  J.  Parnel — Sketch  of  his  life  and  death.  1B54 131 

CHAPTER  X. 

Cromwell's  pretensions  examined  —  Milton  on  religious  liberty  — 
One  thousand  Friends  in  prison — Hostility  of  the  clergy  and 
magistrates,  and  indifference  of  the  Protector  —  George  Fox  re- 
visits Drayton  — Proceeds  to  Warwickshire  —  Is  visited  by  W. 
Edmundson — Sketch  of  W.  Edmundson's  life — George  Fox  visits 
a  sick  woman  among  the  Baptists  —  Returns  to  London  —  Meets 
with  J.  Nayler — Travels  in  several  counties,  escorted  by  a  cap- 
tain— Sends  an  address  toLand's-End — Arrested  by  Major  Ceely 
and  sent  to  Lanceston  jail— Meets  General  Desborough — Trial 
before  Judge  Glyn — Offence  of  the  hat — Paper  on  swearing — 
Major  Ceely's  malice — Defence  of  George  Fox — He  is  remanded 
to  prison.  1655-6 .....  144 

CHAPTER  XL 

State  Prisons — George  Fox  in  Doomsdale— He  is  released — Goes 
to  Exeter,  and  meets  with  J.  Nayler — Delusion  of  Nayler — His 
trial  and  punishment — His  restoration  and  death — His  dying 
expressions  —  George  Fox  attends  meetings  at  Bristol  in  an 
orchard — Returns  to  London — Has  two  interviews  with  Crom- 
well— Travels  in  most  parts  of  the  nation — Great  numbers  of 
Friends  in  prison — George  Fox's  letters  to  Friends — General 
meetings  of  Friends.  1656 159 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Visit  to  Wales — Meets  with  John  Ap-John,  and  Thomas  Holmes — 
Tumult  at  Brecknock  —  Meetings  in  Wales  —  Returns  to  Ches- 
ter— Cromwell's  "proclamation  for  a  fast — George  Fox  again  in 
Wales  — Great  meetings  and  remarkable  sermon  —  Controversy 
with  a  priest — Dispute  with  a  governor — John  Ap-John  impris- 
oned and  released — Vision  of  George  Fox — Return  to  Liver- 
pool— To  Manchester — To  Swarthmore — Attends  a  General 
Meeting  —  Large  meeting  at  Langlands  —  J.  Wilkinson  con- 
vinced— Epistle  to  Friends  concerning  blacks  and  Indian  slaves. 
1657..  ..174 


yiii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Visit  to  Scotland — Opposes  the  Calvinistic  Doctrines — The  curses 
of  the  clergy — Visits  Leith — Edinburgh — Summoned  before  the 
Council — Ordered  to  leave  the  nation — Goes  to  Glasgow — Stir* 
ling — Perth — Rudely  treated  —  Returns  to  Edinburgh  —  Leaves 
Scotland  —  Comes  to  New  Castle — Durham — Attends  a  Yearly 
Meeting  in  Bedfordshire  —  Advice  to  Ministers  —  Convincement 
of  Isaac  and  Mary  Penington  —  George  Fox  disputes  with  a 
Jesuit.  1657-8 187 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Interview  with  Cromwell,  and  letter  to  him — Letter  to  Lady  Clay- 
pole — To  the  Protector,  on  persecution — Sufferings  of  Friends — 
Letter  to  Parliament — Last  interview  with  Cromwell — Death  of 
the  Protector  —  His  character  —  Independents'  declaration,  and 
George  Fox's  answer  —  Illness  of  George  Fox  at  Reading  —  His 
epistle  to  Friends  against  war — Richard  Cromwell — Changes  of 
government — General  Monk  —  Commotion  in  London  —  George 
Fox  visits  the  west  of  England  —  Meeting  in  the  orchard  at 
Bristol.  1658-9 204 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Restoration  and  promises  of  Charles  II. — Wickedness  in  London — 
Letter  of  R.  Hubberthorn  —  George  Fox  attends  general  meet- 
ings at  Balby  and  Skipton  —  He  is  arrested  at  Swarthmore  and 
committed  to  Lancaster  jail  —  M.  Fell  applies  to  the  King  — 
George  Fox's  letter  to  the  King — Book  called  the  "  Battledoor" — 
George  Fox's  examination  in  London — Released  by  the  King's 
order  —  Seven  hundred  Friends  released  from  prison — Fifth- 
monarchy  insurrection — Persecution  of  Friends — Four  thousand 
in  prison  —  Declaration  presented  to  the  King — He  orders  the 
liberation  of  Friends  —  Execution  of  the  Regicides  —  George 
Fox  and  the  Jesuits  —  Account  of  the  martyrdom  of  Friends  in 
Boston  —  Deputies  of  Massachusetts  in  London  —  Their  inter- 
view with  George  Fox — Union  of  Church  and  State  in  Massa- 
chusetts the  cause  of  persecution.  1660-1 219 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Preaching  of  Friends  in  foreign  lands — Funds  raised — George  Fox 
proposes  a  colony  in  America  —  Letter  of  Josiah  Cole  —  George 
Fox's  conversation  with  a  Papist — Marriages  of  Friends — Their 


CONTENTS.  IX 

sufferings — Address  to  the  king — George  Fox  the  younger — Letter 
of  T.  Sherman  to  George  Fox  —  Travels  of  George  Fox  in  the 
country  —  Seized  by  Lord  Beaumont,  and  sent  to  Leicester  jail  —  . 
His  trial  and  liberation  —  Death  of  Edward  Burrough  and  Rich- 
ard Hubberthorn  —  Travels  of  George  Fox.     1661-3 234 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Visits  Colonel  Kirby — Is  apprehended — His  examination  by  the 
Justices — His  trial  at  the  Quarter  Sessions — Committed  to  Lan- 
caster prison — Sufferings  of  Friends — Margaret  Fell  committed 
to  prison  at  Lancaster — Her  trial  before  Judge  Twisden — Trial 
of  George  Fox — He  is  remanded  to  prison.  1663-4 248 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

George  Fox  and  M.  Fell  continue  in  Lancaster  Castle — Sufferings 
of  prisoners — They  are  again  brought  before  the  Judges — Their 
trial  and  sentence  pronounced — They  are  remanded  to  prison — A 
vision  of  George  Fox.  1664-5 264 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Conventicle  act — Sufferings  and  banishment  of  Friends  —  Plague 
in  London — G.  Whitehead  and  Gilbert  Latey  remain  to  nurse  the 
sick — Sufferings  at  Reading — Letter  of  George  Fox  to  the  pris- 
oners —  Removal  of  George  Fox  to  Scarborough  castle  —  His 
sufferings  there  —  His  conversation  with  Papists  —  With  Dr. 
Witty— With  Dr.  Craddock— His  release.  1665-6 281 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Great  Fire  in  London  —  Thomas  Ibbitt's  prophecy  —  Travels  of 
George  Fox  —  He  reproves  the  followers  of  J.  Perrot  —  Recom- 
mends meetings  for  discipline  throughout  the  Society — Meetings 
of  Dissenters  prohibited  by  proclamation — Conduct  of  Presby- 
terian clergy — George  Fox  visits  Esquire  Marsh — Conversation 
with  a  Papist — Visits  Scarborough — Travels  in  Ireland — Returns 
to  England — His  marriage  with  Margaret  Fell.  1666-9 296 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

George  Fox  on  the  Education  of  Orphans — M.  Fox  imprisoned — 
Letter  of  George  Fox  to  her  —  Renewal  of  Conventicle  Act  — 
Sufferings  of  Friends  —  George  Fox's  Visit  to  the  Prisoners  — 
His  Travels  —  His  sufferings  in  Spirit  —  His  View  of  the  New 


X  CONTENTS. 

Jerusalem  —  His  Prayers  —  His  Wife,  being  released,  comes  to 
London — George  Fox  and  others  embark  for  Barbadoes — Chased 
by  a  Pirate  —  Remarkably  preserved  —  Meeting  in  Barbadoes — • 
Rules  of  Discipline — Advice  to  Slaveholders — Letter  to  Governor 
of  Barbadoes — Visit  to  Jamaica — Death  of  Elizabeth  Hooten — 
Voyage  of  George  Fox  to  Maryland.  1669-72 311 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

His  kind  reception  in  Maryland — J.  Burnyeat — General  Meetings 
at  West  River  and  Cliffs — Eastern  Shore — Meeting  with  Indians — 
Journey  to  New  Jersey  —  Long  Island  —  Rhode  Island — Yearly 
Meeting — Shelter  Island — Meets  William  Edmundson — Returns 
through  New  Jersey,  Newcastle,  Third-Haven  —  Sails  for  Vir- 
ginia— Travels  to  Carolina — Meetings  with  Whites  and  Indians — 
Travels  in  Virginia — Establishes  Meetings  for  Discipline — Disor- 
ders produced  in  Virginia  by  J.  Perrot — George  Fox  returns  to 
Maryland — Sails  for  England — Arrives  at  Bristol,  and  meets  his 
wife — Declaration  of  indulgence,  and  liberation  of  four  hundred 
Friends — Travels  to  London — Goes  with  his  wife  to  visit  William 
Penn  at  Rickmansworth.  1672-3 327 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Arrested  and  committed  to  Worcester  Jail — T.  Lower  remains  with 
him — Examination  at  the  Sessions — Taken  to  London — Appears 
before  the  Court  of  King's  Bench — Sent  back  to  Worcester — 
Conversation  with  a  Priest — Doctrine  of  Perfection— Trial  at  the 
Quarter  Sessions  — Permitted  to  Travel — Attends  Yearly  Meet- 
ing —  Second  Trial  at  Worcester  —  Premunired  —  Sickness  in 
Prison  —  Pardon  offered,  and  declined  —  Letter  from  William 
Penn  —  Trial  at  London  before  Judge  Hale  —  Released  from 
Prison.  1673-5 342 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Residence  of  George  Fox  at  Swarthmore  —  Epistle  to  Friends  — 
Separation  of  Wilkinson  and  Story  —  Charges  against  them  — 
George  Fox  resumes  his  travels — Letter  to  his  wife — Testimony 
against  tithes — Yearly  meeting  of  London  —  Visit  to  William 
Penn  —  Answer  to  Roger  Williams  —  Account  of  Robert  Bar- 
clay— Visit  to  Holland — Yearly  meeting  of  Amsterdam  —  Prin- 
cess Elizabeth  Palatine— Letter  to  Friends  in  Dantzic— Return  to 
England.  1675-7.. . , .  353 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

George  Fox  meets  the  adherents  of  Wilkinson  and  Story  —  Visits 
Isaac  Penington  —  Death  of  Isaac  Penington  —  Yearly  Meeting, 
1678  —  Letter  of  George  Fox  to  his  wife  —  Letter  to  Friends 
against  schism  —  Return  to  Swarthmore  —  Epistle  to  Friends  — 
Yearly  meeting,  1680 — Visit  to  Friends'  schools — Sufferings  and 
constancy  of  Friends  —  George  Fox  prosecuted  for  tithes  at 
Swarthmore — Advice  on  choosing  sheriffs — Disturbance  at  Grace- 
church  street  meeting  —  At  Devonshire  house,  &c.  —  Yearly 
Meetings,  1683  '4 —  Redemption  of  Algerine  captives  —  Visit  to 
Holland.  1677-84 370 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Occupation  in  London — Yearly  Meeting,  1685 — Death  of  Charles 
II.  —  Accession  of  James  II.  —  Liberation  of  1300  Friends  — 
Yearly  Meeting,  1686  —  Epistle  of  George  Fox  to  Friends — His 
Gift  of  a  Meeting-House  —  King's  Declaration  of  Indulgence — 
George  Fox  on  Prayer  —  On  the  Way  to  the  Kingdom  —  On 
Heaven — Accession  of  William  and  Mary — Act  of  Toleration — 
Yearly  Meeting,  1690  —  Epistle  to  Friends  —  Death  of  George 
Fox— Death  of  Margaret  Fox.  1684-91.. 386 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Personal  appearance — Dress — Property  —  Character  —  Ministry — 
The  early  Friends — Statistics  of  the  Society — Conclusion 404 


A  DISSERTATION  on  the  Views  of  George  Fox  concerning  the  Doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  Church. 415 

A  DISSERTATION  on  the  Views  of  George  Fox  concerning  Christian 
Testimonies 451 

A  DISSERTATION  on  the  Views  of  George  Fox  concerning  Christian 
Discipline ........ 479 


PREFACE. 


THE  life  of  GEORGE  Fox  is  a  subject  of  interest,  not  only  to  the 
devout  Christian,  but  to  the  student  of  general  history.  To  the 
former,  he  appears  as  an  instructive  example  of  the  inward  or  spiritual 
life;  to  the  latter,  as  one  of  the  most  efficient  instruments  in  the 
cause  of  religious  and  civil  liberty. 

The  signal  changes  which  have  been  wrought  during  the  last  two 
centuries,  in  the  opinions,  laws,  and  institutions  of  Christendom,  are 
to  be  attributed  less  to  the  labours  of  enlightened  statesmen  and 
jurists,  than  to  the  teaching  and  example  of  those  religious  reformers 
who  became  the  instruments  in  the  Divine  hand  to  dispel  the  clouds 
of  superstition,  and  shake  the  foundations  of  despotism  both  in 
church  and  state.  Among  these,  the  subject  of  this  work  is  entitled 
to  hold  a  conspicuous  rank.  It  was  remarked  of  him  by  a  distin- 
guished American  statesman,*  that  "  George  Fox  alone  has,  without 
human  learning,  done  more  towards  the  restoration  of  real,  primitive, 
unadulterated  Christianity,  and  the  extirpation  of  priestcraft,  super- 
stition, and  ridiculous,  unavailing  rites  and  ceremonies,  than  any 
other  reformer  in  Protestant  Christendom  has  with  it." 

In  offering  to  the  public  this  biography  of  that  great  and  good 
man,  I  would  by  no  means  discourage  the  perusal  of  his  excellent 
Journal,  of  which  it  has  been  said  by  Sir  James  Mackintosh,  that 

*  Gov.  Livingston.     See  Am.  Museum,  VIII.  255,  December,  1790. 


XVI  PREFACE. 

"  it  is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  and  instructive  narratives  in  the 
world,  which  no  reader  of  competent  judgment  can  peruse  without 
revering  the  virtue  of  the  writer." 

Although  the  Journal,  and  other  works  of  George  Fox,  have  fur- 
nished a  large  proportion  of  the  matter  contained  in  this  volume,  I 
have,  by  diligent  research,  been  enabled  to  enrich  my  narrative  with 
facts  and  anecdotes  from  many  other  writings  of  the  early  Friends, 
some  of  which  are  now  exceedingly  rare. 

My  design  has  been  to  relate  the  most  important  and  interesting 
incidents  in  his  life ;  to  interweave  with  my  narrative  the  biography 
of  his  wife,  MARGARET  Fox ;  to  introduce  sketches  of  his  most 
prominent  coadjutors ;  to  give  a  succinct  history  of  the  Society  of 
Friends  during  that  period ;  to  connect  it  with  the  general  history 
of  the  times ;  and  to  furnish  an  instructive  work,  that  may  gain  the 
attention  of  readers  generally.  How  far  this  design  has  been  accom- 
plished, the  public  can  best  determine. 

In  the  Dissertations  at  the  close  of  the  volume,  great  pains  have 
been  taken  to  give  a  clear  and  impartial  statement  of  the  views  of 
George  Fox  concerning  the  important  subjects  embraced  in  them  ; 
and,  in  relation  to  controverted  points,  copious  selections  from  his 
works  are  introduced,  to  enable  the  reader  to  judge  for  himself. 

S.  M.  JANNEY. 

Near  Purcelville,  Loudon  County,  Va., 
10th  month  20th,  1863. 


LIFE  OF  GEORGE  FOX. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

Protestant  Reformation — State  of  society  in  England  in  the  middle  of 
the  17th  century. 

IN  no  other  part  of  Europe  has  the  Protestant  Reformation 
been  so  effectual  in  promoting  civil  and  religious  liberty  as  in 
Great  Britain.  Its  progress,  however,  was  slow  in  its  earliest 
stage,  being  subjected  to  the  caprice  of  a  despotic  monarch, 
fettered  by  the  influence  of  a  powerful  priesthood,  and  opposed 
by  the  prejudices  of  an  ignorant  people. 

All  great  changes  in  the  opinions  and  habits  of  mankind 
must  necessarily  be  gradual,  and  in  no  respect  are  men  more 
tenacious  of  their  views  and  feelings  than  in  relation  to  the 
momentous  concerns  of  religion.  The  doctrines  that  have 
come  down  to  us  from  our  fathers,  and  the  religious  ceremo- 
nies we  have  been  engaged  in  from  our  youth,  are  associated 
in  our  minds  with  all  that  is  dear  and  all  that  is  venerable; 
with  the  tender  ties  of  parental  affection,  and  the  reverence 

due  to  an  Almighty  Creator. 

2  (17) 


18  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate, — perhaps  impossible  for  us  to 
appreciate, — the  mental  conflicts  which  must  have  agitated 
those  mighty  minds  that  first  ventured  to  question  the  truth 
of  doctrines  implicitly  believed  for  many  generations,  to  point 
out  the  inefliciency  of  time-honoured  observances,  and  to 
attack  the  abuses  of  a  hierarchy  whose  power  was  authorita- 
tive throughout  Europe,  and  had  been  accumulating  by  the 
usurpations  of  a  thousand  years. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  Pontifical 
chair  was  occupied  by  Alexander  VI.,  who  has  been  called 
the  Nero  of  the  papal  throne.  A  more  odious  compound  of 
vice  and  hypocrisy  has  seldom  been  exhibited  before  the  world ; 
and  his  son,  Caesar  Borgia,  whom  he  promoted  to  a  high  office 
in  the  church,  was  not  less  noted  for  his  profligate  morals  and 
vindictive  temper,  which  rendered  him  a  terror  to  the  Roman 
people. 

It  is  remarked  by  the  learned  historian  of  the  Popes,  that 
"there  was  but  one  spot  in  the  world  where  such  deeds  were 
possible ;  that  spot  alone,  where  unlimited  temporal  power 
and  the  highest  spiritual  authority  were  united  in  the  same 
individual."* 

Never  was  any  court  more  corrupt  than  that  of  the  Vatican. 
It  had  become  a  regular  system  with  nearly  all  the  Popes, 
to  enrich  their  relatives  from  the  public  revenues,  and  some 
of  them  established  their  children  and  nephews  in  princely 
estates. 

All  offices,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  were  exposed  to  sale; 
many  new  offices,  with  exorbitant  fees  attached,  were  created 
for  the  express  purpose  of  being  sold ;  f  and,  indeed,  every 
expedient  that  could  be  devised  by  a  cunning  and  mercenary 
priesthood,  was  adopted  to  raise  money  for  purposes  of  luxury 
and  ambition. 

Among  the  most  lucrative  of  these  priestly  inventions  was 
the  sale  of  indulgences,  by  which  the  purchasers  were  exempted 


*Ranke"s  Hist,  of  the  Popes,  31.  flbid,  130. 


REVIVAL   OF   LEARNING.  19 

from  penance,  and  assured  of  forgiveness  for  their  crimes. 
Alexander  VI.  was  the  first  to  declare  officially  that  they 
released  sinners  from  purgatory.* 

After  his  death,  and  the  short  reign  of  the  warlike  Julius 
II.,  John  de  Medici  succeeded  to  the  Pontificate  under  the 
title  of  Leo  X.  His  munificent  patronage  of  learning  and 
the  fine  arts,  his  lavish  expenditure  for  the  adorning  of  his 
capital,  and  his  prodigality  in  maintaining  the  splendour  of 
his  court,  impoverished  the  papal  treasury  and  induced  him  to 
push  the  sale  of  indulgences  to  a  shameful  and  ruinous  extent. 

In  Italy,  the  revival  of  ancient  learning  which  had  recently 
taken  place,  was  attended  with  scepticism  throughout  the 
ranks  of  the  learned ;  while  infidelity  and  open  profanity  pre- 
vailed among  the  priesthood,  and  the  populace  were  sunk  to 
the  lowest  depths  of  licentiousness. 

In  Germany,  there  were,  among  the  scholars,  some  earnest 
and  devout  souls;  and  among  the  lower  classes,  where  super- 
stition most  prevailed,  there  were  many  whose  minds  had  been 
partially  enlightened  by  the  preaching  of  the  various  dissent- 
ing sects. 

The  doctrines  and  sufferings  of  the  Waldenses,  the  Albi- 
genses,  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  the  Lollards,  and  Wickliffites, 
had  sown  the  seeds  of  reformation  throughout  Europe,  and 
now  the  fields  were  white  already  to  the  harvest. 

It  was,  however,  ordered  by  Divine  Providence  that  the 
torch  which  was  destined  to  set  Europe  in  a  blaze  of  religious 
controversy,  should  first  be  lighted  in  the  cloisters  of  a 
monastery. 

Martin  Luther  was  a  monk  in  a  convent  at  Erfurth,  belong- 
ing to  the  order  called  "  The  Hermits  of  St.  Augustine." 
He  had  devoted  himself  to  a  monastic  life  from  a  sense  of 
duty,  hoping  to  find  in  the  solitude  of  the  cloister  an  exemp- 
tion from  temptation  and  a  release  from  the  burden  of  sin. 
It  was  in  vain,  however,  that  he  resorted  to  austerities  of 
human  invention,  to  watchings,  fastings,  maceration  of  the 
body,  and  ceremonial  observances.  A  sense  of  sin  still 
*  Hanky's  Hist,  of  the  Popes,  33. 


20  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

oppressed  him,  and  the  suggestions  of  evil  were  not  repressed 
in  his  bosom.  His  body  was  worn  almost  to  a  skeleton,  his 
mind  oppressed  with  sadness,  and  he  thought  only  of  the  ter- 
rors inspired  by  a  lively  apprehension  of  divine  justice. 

While  in  this  state  of  despondency,  he  was  visited  by  Stau- 
pitz,  vicar-general  of  his  order,  a  man  of  tender  feelings  and 
religious  experience.  He  sympathised  deeply  with  the  afflicted 
monk,  advised  him  to  study  the  Scriptures,  and  gave  him,  what 
he  never  before  possessed,  a  copy  of  the  Bible,  which  he  prized 
as  an  inestimable  treasure.  From  this  time  forward  the  sacred 
volume  became  his  constant  companion,  and  the  Epistles  of 
Paul  were  his  favourite  subjects  of  study. 

There  was  one  text  which  especially  claimed  his  attention, 
"  The  just  shall  live  by  faith." 

This  doctrine  afforded  peace  to  his  agitated  mind.  He 
came  gradually  to  see  that  the  works  in  which  he  had  been 
engaged  had  no  saving  efficiency, — that  the  remission  of  sins 
cannot  be  purchased  by  money,  nor  obtained  by  penance ;  but 
is  the  free  gift  of  God  through  Christ. 

The  talents,  learning,  and  piety  of  Luther  recommended  him 
to  the  Duke  of  Saxony,  Frederick  the  Wise,  who  appointed 
him  a  Professor  of  Theology  in  the  University  of  Wittemburg. 

It  was  here  that  the  Reformation  began,  in  the  year  1517, 
by  the  publication  of  his  thesis  against  indulgences.  Without 
intending  to  attack  the  Roman  see,  he  at  first  aimed  only  at 
the  abuses  of  the  church,  but  he  soon  found  that  these  abuses 
were  interwoven  with  its  whole  structure.  His  censures  were 
resented  as  presumptuous,  his  opinions  condemned  as  heretical, 
and  a  bull  of  excommunication  was  issued  against  him,  by 
which  he  was  declared  an  obstinate  heretic,  and  the  secular 
arm  invoked  for  his  destruction.  But  a  fire  had  been  kindled 
which  could  not  be  extinguished.  It  spread  from  heart  to 
heart,  and  from  kingdom  to  kingdom,  until  the  whole  of 
Europe  was  involved  in  a  fierce  conflict  of  religious  con- 
troversy. 

The   outworks  of  the   church, — its   superstitious   observ- 


JOHN   WICKLIFFE.  21 

ances, — had  been  assailed  by  other  reformers,  and  they  per- 
ished in  the  attempt ;  Luther  attacked  the  citadel,  and  it 
shook  to  its  foundations.  The  Roman  hierarchy  claimed  to 
be  the  depository  of  divine  truth,  and  the  Pope  pretended  to 
hold  the  keys  of  St.  Peter.  Luther  appealed  to  the  sacred 
scriptures  as  the  standard  of  Christian  doctrines,  and  claimed 
the  right  of  every  man  to  read  them  in  his  vernacular  tongue. 
Justification  by  works  was  a  prominent  doctrine  of  the  papacy, 
and  the  source  of  its  greatest  revenues ;  justification  by  faith 
in  Christ  alone  was  the  fundamental  principle  of  the  Protestant 
reformers. 

The  seeds  of  the  Reformation  had  been  sown  in  England 
by  John  Wickliffe,  who  lived  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  before 
the  time  of  Luther.  He  was  the  first  to  translate  the  New 
Testament  into  the  English  language,  a  service  of  inestimable 
value  to  the  cause  of  truth ;  but  his  version  must  have  had  a 
limited  circulation,  as  the  art  of  printing  was  then  unknown. 

Wickliffe's  views  were  far  in  advance  of  the  age,  and  even 
clearer,  in  some  respects,  than  those  afterwards  advanced  by 
Luther.  He  denied  the  supremacy  and  infallibility  of  the 
Pope,  as  well  as  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  He 
maintained  that  prescribed  forms  of  prayer  are  contrary  to 
Christian  liberty,  that  sins  are  not  abolished  by  water  baptism, 
without  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  that  those  are  presumptuous 
who  affirm  that  infants  are  not  saved  who  die  without  bap- 
tism, and  that  wise  men  should  leave  that  as  impertinent 
which  is  not  plainly  expressed  in  scripture.*  His  doctrines 
were  condemned,  his  books  burnt,  and  himself  imprisoned,  by 
order  of  a  Council  of  Bishops  in  1382 ;  but  owing  to  the  dis- 
sensions at  Rome,  where  two  anti-popes  were  then  at  war  with 
each  other,  he  was  released  and  suffered  to  live  in  peace. 

"  He  wrote  near  two  hundred  volumes,  all  which  were  called 
in,  condemned  and  ordered  to  be  burned,  together  ivitJi  Ms 
bones,  by  order  of  the  Council  of  Constance,  in  the  year  1425, 
forty-one  years  after  his  death. "f 

*  Neal'e  .Hist.  Puritans,  I.  29  30.  t  Ibid.  I.  30. 


22  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

His  followers  became  very  numerous  after  his  decease,  and 
suffered  much  persecution  at  the  instance  of  the  clergy.  It 
is  asserted  by  Knighton,  a  contemporary  historian,  that  more 
than  half  the  people  of  England  embraced  his  doctrines.  * 
They  were  sometimes  called  Lollards  from  their  supposed 
resemblance  to  a  German  sect  of  that  name. 

It  is  said  they  continued  to  be  numerous  at  the  time  of  the 
Reformation,  and  some  historians  assert  that  the  Anabaptists 
in  England  sprang  from  the  Wickliffites. 

It  is  well  known  to  all  readers  of  history,  that  the  rupture 
between  the  Roman  hierarchy  and  the  Anglican  church  was 
occasioned  by  the  Pope's  refusal  to  grant  a  divorce  to  Henry 
VIII.  It  was  a  quarrel  in  which  both  the  Pontiff  and  the 
King,  under  pretence  of  religious  scruples,  displayed  the  most 
discreditable  passions ;  —  prevarication  on  one  side,  being  no 
less  conspicuous,  than  profligacy  on  the  other.  It  was,  how- 
ever, through  the  overruling  of  Divine  providence,  made  in- 
strumental to  the  promotion  of  the  Reformation,  by  giving  a 
fatal  blow  to  the  papal  supremacy  in  England. 

The  form  of  church  government  established  by  Henry,  of 
which  he  made  himself  the  head,  was  but  slightly  removed 
from  that  of  Rome.  The  persecution  of  Dissenters  still  con- 
tinued, but  the  ecclesiastical  courts,  those  terrible  engines  of 
oppression,  were  somewhat  restrained  and  made  subservient 
to  the  civil  power. 

An  English  version  of  the  scriptures,  by  Tyndale  was  printed 
at  Antwerp  in  1526,  and  afterwards  in  Hamburg,  which  being 
introduced  into  England  was  sought  for  by  the  people  and 
read  with  great  avidity.  The  bishops  being  dissatisfied  with 
it,  the  king  called  it  in  by  proclamation,  and  another  edition 
was  printed  in  England  under  the  supervision  of  Archbishop 
Cranmer.  In  the  latter  part  of  his  reign  the  king  leaned 
more  towards  the  papal  doctrines  and  ceremonies :  he  even 
prohibited  the  reading  of  the  New  Testament  in  English  "  by 

*Neal,  II.  354. 


RISE   OF   THE   PURITANS.  23 

women,  artificers,  apprentices,  journeymen,  serving-men  and 
labourers."* 

During  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.  the  Reformation  made 
some  progress,  but  after  his  death  it  was  arrested  by  the 
bigoted  Mary,  who  restored  the  Catholic  priests,  and  lighted 
again  the  fires  of  persecution.  After  the  short  and  troubled 
reign  of  Mary,  her  sister  Elizabeth  occupied  the  throne  with 
signal  ability.  She  restored  the  Protestant  religion,  but  being 
fond  of  pompous  ceremonies,  she  imposed  upon  the  English 
clergy  some  vestments  and  observances,  borrowed  from  the 
Roman  ritual,  which  gave  much  dissatisfaction. 

Those  among  the  clergy  who  objected  to  these  relics  of 
popery,  being  men  of  severe  morals,  acquired  the  appellation 
of  Puritans.  They  were  generally  Calvinists  in  their  doctrines, 
and  members  of  the  established  church,  but,  by  the  severity 
of  the  Bishops,  many  of  them  were  driven  from  her  commu- 
nion. 

The  court  reformers  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  admitted 
that  the  Church  of  Rome  was  a  true  church,  though  corrupt 
in  some  points  of  doctrine  and  government,  and  that  the 
Pope  was  a  true  bishop.  These  concessions  they  thought 
necessary  because  the  English  bishops  pretended  to  derive 
their  authority  by  succession  from  the  Apostles,  through  the 
Romish  church.  The  Puritans,  on  the  contrary,  affirmed  the 
Pope  to  be  Antichrist,  and  the  church  of  Rome  utterly  apos- 
tate. They  not  only  renounced  her  communion,  but'  dis- 
claimed the  validity  of  ordination  by  succession. 

The  most  prominent  and  renowned  among  the  reformers, 
both  in  Great  Britain  and  on  the  continent,  adhered  to  the 
popish  idea  of  entire  uniformity  in  doctrine  and  worship ;  an 
attainment  which  is  not  necessary,  neither  is  it  possible  with- 
out violating  the  principle  of  religious  liberty.  Another 
idea,  equally  erroneous,  which  they  brought  with  them  from 
the  Church  of  Rome,  was  the  establishment  and  endowment 
of  a  national  religion  —  a  union  of  church  and  state. 

*NeaPs  Hist.  Puritans,  I.  42. 


24  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

These  views  appear  to  have  been  held  by  nearly  all  the 
German,  Swiss,  English,  and  Scotch  reformers,  and  each 
party  among  them,  when  it  attained  to  power,  used  the  secular 
arm  to  coerce  the  consciences  of  men.  Uniformity  was  the 
rock  on  which  the  reformers  split.*  To  attain  this  fancied 
good,  they  repressed  the  feelings  of  Christian  charity,  quench- 
ed the  spirit  of  Divine  grace  within  them,  and  for  a  mere 
difference  in  religious  opinions  or  forms  of  worship,  inflicted 
fines,  imprisonment,  and  death.  Some  of  the  clergy  who 
held  these  persecuting  tenets,  were  prevented  by  feelings 
of  humanity  from  carrying  them  into  practice ;  others  were 
sincere  bigots,  who  thought  to  do  God  service  by  persecuting 
and  defaming  those  whom  they  considered  heretics ;  but  we 
have  reason  to  believe  that  a  much  larger  number  were 
worldly-minded  men,  who  embraced  their  profession  from 
sordid  or  ambitious  motives.  These  were  the  supple  tools  of 
power,  and  readily  acquiesced  in  all  the  changes  of  the 
English  hierarchy. 

When  the  Protestant  religion  was  restored  by  Elizabeth, 
"  most  of  the  inferior  beneficed  clergy  kept  their  places,  as 
they  had  done  through  all  the  changes  of  the  three  last  reigns, 
and  without  all  question  if  the  queen  had  died,  and  the  old 
religion  had  been  restored,  they  would  have  turned  again  ;  but 
the  bishops  and  some  of  the  dignified  qlergy,  having  sworn  to 
the  supremacy  under  King  Henry,  and  renounced  it  again 
under  Queen  Mary,  thought  it  might  reflect  a  dishonour  upon 
their  character  to  change  again,  and  therefore,  they  resolved 
to  hold  together,  and  by  their  weight  endeavour  to  distress 
the  reformation.  Upon  so  great  an  alteration  of  religion,  the 
number  of  recusants  out  of  9400  parochial  benefices  was  in- 
considerable." "  Not  above  two  hundred  and  forty  three 
clergymen  quitted  their  livings,  "f 

The  Puritans,  who  had  been  restrained  with  a  strong  hand 
during  the  long  reign  of  Elizabeth,  hoped  on  the  accession  of 
James  I.  to  enjoy  favour  and  protection ;  as  that  monarch 

*  Neal.  I.  75.  t  Ibid.  I.  82. 


CIVIL   WAR.  25 

had  been  educated  in  principles  similar  to  their  own.  They 
were,  however,  disappointed,  for  the  weak  and  pedantic  king 
was  soon  gained  over  by  the  prelates  of  the  established 
church,  who  flattered  his  vanity  and  instilled  into  his  mind 
that  well-known  maxim  of  priestly  invention,  "  no  bishop  no 
king."*  Notwithstanding  the  rigorous  execution  of-  the 
penal  statutes  against  non-conformity,  the  Puritans  continued 
to  increase  more  rapidly.  This  may  be  attributed  in  part  to 
the  industry  of  their  preachers,  and  to  the  greater  purity  of 
their  morals,  when  contrasted  with  the  clergy  of  the  estab- 
lished church. 

The  Puritans,  moreover,  gained  credit  and  favour  in  the 
country  by  opposing  the  despotic  maxims  in  relation  to 
government,  put  forth  by  the  king  and  supported  by  the 
bishops. 

Charles  I.,  though  far  superior  in  intellect  to  his  father, 
inherited  from  him  those  maxims  of  despotism,  which,  being 
obstinately  adhered  to,  cost  him  his  crown  and  his  life.  On 
his  accession,  the  Puritans  were  already  numerous  and  influ- 
ential ; — they  were  the  staunch  advocates  of  the  constitution, 
and  when  the  king  pushed  his  prerogative  to  such  an  extent 
as  to  endanger  the  liberties  of  the  people,  they  contended  for 
the  rights  of  Parliament  until  a  civil  war  ensued,  which  con- 
vulsed the  whole  kingdom. 

Seldom  has  there  been  a  conflict  which  stirred  so  deeply 
the  passions  of  men, — for  the  interests  of  religion,  no  less 
than  the  civil  liberties  of  the  people,  were  supposed  to  be  at 
stake. 

On  the  side  of  the  king,  were  arrayed  the  dignitaries  of 
the  church,  the  heads  of  universities,  and  the  most  powerful 
of  the  nobility.  They  based  their  pretensions  on  the  long 
established  usages  of  the  realm,  the  apostolic  succession  of 
the  bishops,  and  the  divine  right  of  kings. 

On  the  side  of  the  parliament  was  found  the  great  body  of 
Protestant  nonconformists  ;  composed  of  various  sects,  but 
all  agreeing  in  their  love  of  civil  liberty,  and  their  antipathy 

*  Neal,  I.  219. 


26  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

to  the  established  church.  Among  their  leaders  were  men  of 
great  learning  and  commanding  talents :  grave  in  deportment, 
deliberate  in  counsel,  prompt  and  energetic  in  action.  Re- 
ligion appeared  to  be  the  ruling  principle  of  their  lives :  not 
the  religion  of  the  New  Testament,  lamb-like  and  peaceful, 
but  rather  that  fiery  zeal  which  animated  the  judges  and 
avengers  of  Israel.  They  applied  to  themselves  the  commands 
and  promises  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  branded  their  adver- 
saries with  epithets  directed  by  the  inspired  penmen  against 
heathen  idolatry.  Their  zeal  was  stimulated  by  their  ministers, 
who  maintained  that  they  fought  in  the  cause  of  Heaven  ;  and, 
against  the  lukewarm  they  raised  the  cry,  "  Curse  ye  Meroz, 
curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof ;  because  they  came 
not  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty."  * 

Many  of  the  officers  in  the  Parliament  army  officiated  as 
chaplains ;  prayers  and  hymns  resounded  throughout  the 
camp,  strict  discipline  was  observed,  and  care  was  taken  that 
no  acts  of  lawless  violence  should  be  committed  by  the  sol- 
diery. •  The  army  of  the  king,  by  its  insubordination,  proved 
to  be  a  scourge  wherever  it  was  quartered,  —  that  of  the 
Parliament,  on  account  of  its  strict  discipline,  was  considered 
a  protection  to  the  people.  Is  it  surprising,  that,  with  such 
troops,  the  military  genius  of  Cromwell  should  prevail  over 
the  king,  or  that  having  thus  prevailed,  a  man  of  his  ambition 
should  employ  the  army  to  promote  his  own  elevation  ? 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  British  nation  in  the  year  1643 
when  George  Fox  had  nearly  attained  to  manhood.  The  long 
Parliament  was  in  session,  and  its  armies  were  contending 
with  the  King;  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster, con- 
voked by  Parliament,  was  engaged  in  debate  upon  religious 
doctrines  and  church  government ;  and  the  whole  nation  was 
shaken  and  convulsed  with  new  ideas  of  religious  and  civil 
liberty.  The  Assembly  was  divided  into  three  parties  ;  Pres- 
byterian, Independent,  and  Erastian.  These  Puritan  sects 
did  not  differ  materially  in  doctrine  from  the  Anglican  Church, 

*  Life  of  W.  Dewsbury,  Friends'  Library,  II.  224. 


PUBITAN  SECTS.  27 

except  in  the  article  of  predestination,  which  they  held  in  its 
fullest  extent ;  whereas  the  bishops  had  gradually  modified 
their  views  on  this  point,  and  some  had  embraced  the  Armi- 
nian  doctrine  of  free-will. 

The  great  points  of  difference  between  the  Protestant 
dissenters  and  the  Episcopal  Church,  related  to  ceremonial 
observances  and  church  discipline. 

All  the  Puritan  sects  rejected  the  liturgy  and  the  surplice, 
but  they  differed  among  themselves  in  regard  to  church 
government.  The  Presbyterians  held  that  the  terms  presbyter 
and  bishop  were  used  as  synonymous  in  the  primitive  church. 

Accordingly  they  had  but  one  class  of  clergy,  who  were 
presbyters.  From  among  the  lay-members  were  chosen  ruling- 
elders,  who  were  associated  with  the  ministers  in  the  church 
sessions  and  presbyteries.  Several  Presbyteries  composed  a 
Synod,  and  from  the  Synods,  delegates  consisting  of  ministers 
and  elders  were  sent  to  the  General  Assembly,  which  was  the 
highest  judicature  of  the  church. 

The  Independents  acknowledged  no  such  subordination  in 
their  order  of  government ;  they  affirmed  that  every  congrega- 
tion was  a  complete  church,  and  should  have  full  power  to 
make  and  administer  its  own  discipline.  Hence  they  were 
sometimes  called  Congregationalists. 

The  Erastians  took  their  appellation  from  Erastus,  a  German 
divine  of  the  16th  century.*  They  maintained  that  the  pas- 
toral office  was  only  persuasive,  without  power  to  refuse  the 
sacraments  to  any,  or  to  inflict  censure  upon  offenders.  The 
punishment  of  all  offences  either  of  a  civil  or  religious  nature 
they  would  reserve  exclusively  to  the  civil  magistrates.  This 
was  a  small  sect,  there  being  but  two  of  their  ministers  in  the 
Westminster  Assembly. 

The  Independents  were  more  numerous  and  rapidly  in- 
creasing in  influence,  but  the  Presbyterians  were  by  far  the 
most  numerous  portion  of  that  body. 

The  Parliament  having  sent    commissioners  to  treat  with 

*  Neal,  I.  190-1. 


28  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  Scots,  they  returned  with  a  proposition  for  "a  solemn 
league  and  covenant,"  between  the  two  nations,  which  being 
submitted  to  the  Westminster  Assembly  was  accepted,  and 
soon  after  was  ratified  by  both  branches  of  the  Legislature. 
This  league,  adopted  in  1643,  was  professedly  for  promoting 
the  Protestant  religion,  and  the  Covenanters  bound  themselves 
with  an  oath  "to  endeavour  the  extirpation  of  popery  and 
prelacy ;  that  is,  church  government  by  archbishops,  bishops, 
their  chancellors  and  commissioners,  deacons  and  chapters, 
arch-deacons,  and  all  other  ecclesiastical  officers  depending  on 
that  hierarchy."  The  Covenant  was  sworn  to  by  the  members 
of  the  assembly,  and  of  the  parliament,  and  an  act  was  passed 
requiring  it  to  be  taken  by  all  persons  in  England  above  the 
age  of  eighteen  years.  In  Scotland  the  public  authorities 
required  it  to  be  sworn  to  and  subscribed  on  a  penalty  of  the 
confiscation  of  goods." 

The  Westminister  Assembly  next  proceeded  to  draw  up  a 
confession  of  faith,  and  a  form  of  church  government,  modelled 
on  the  Presbyterian,  which,  being  submitted  to  Parliament,  was 
confirmed  under  the  title  of  "  A  directory  for  public  worship, 
passed  January  8,  1644-5." 

The  established  church  having  been  subverted  by  the  cove- 
nant, the  previous  year,  and  the  Directory  not  being  carried 
into  general  practice  throughout  the  kingdom,  the  people 
were  left  at  liberty,  in  most  places,  to  pursue  their  own  in- 
clinations or  sense  of  duty,  with  regard  to  divine  worship. 
The  various  dissenting  sects  previously  existing,  which  had 
been  somewhat  restrained  by  the  ecclesiastical  courts,  now 
came  forth  more  boldly  to  advocate  their  principles,  and  reli- 
gious controversy  almost  engrossed  the  public  attention. 
Among  these  were  the  Arminians,  who  opposed  the  calvinistic 
doctrine  of  unconditional  election  and  reprobation,  maintain- 
ing that  Christ  died  for  all  men,  and  that  his  grace  is  freely 
offered  to  all. 

The  Baptists  were  numerous  in  some  places,  there  being 


LANGUAGE   OF   THE   PURITANS.  29 

in  the  year  1644,  forty -seven  congregations  of  them  in  the 
country,  and  seven  in  London. 

They  were  chiefly  distinguished  from  others  by  maintaining 
that  the  ceremony  of  baptism  must  be  performed  by  immer- 
sion and  confined  to  adults.  They  were  of  two  classes  or 
parties :  those  who  adhered  to  the  calvinistic  doctrine,  were 
called  Particular  Baptists ;  the  others,  who  professed  the 
Arminian  tenet  of  free-will,  were  called  General  Baptists. 

The  Antinomians  are  mentioned  as  a  considerable  sect 
during  that  troubled  period.  They  held  that  the  moral  law 
is  not  obligatory  under  the  gospel,  and  that  the  elect  cannot 
do  any  thing  displeasing  to  God ;  they  denied  the  necessity 
of  good  works  as  the  fruits  of  holiness,  and  thus  sapped  the 
foundation  of  morality.  Similar  views  were  held  by  the 
Ranters,  who  interpreted  Christ's  fulfilling  the  law  for  us,  to 
be  a  discharge  from  any  obligation  or  duty  the  law  re- 
quired, "  as  if  Christ  came  not  to  take  away  sin,  but  that  we 
might  sin  more  freely  at  his  cost  and  with  less  danger  to  our- 
selves."* These  doctrines  being  carried  into  practice  led  to 
the  grossest  licentiousness. 

During  the  civil  wars  and  the  Protectorate  of  Cromwell, 
the  affairs  of  government  were  singularly  blended  with  the 
concerns  of  religion.  The  debates  in  Parliament  often  turned 
upon  abstruse  points  of  theology,  long  sermons  were  pro- 
nounced before  them,  political  prayers  were  made,  and  public 
fasts  were  proclaimed.  Cromwell  and  his  officers  exhorted 
their  troops  in  the  camp  and  in  the  field ;  captains  and  cor- 
porals ascended  the  pulpits  and  expounded  the  scriptures, 
seeking  in  the  Mosaic  code  and  the  book  of  Kings  for  pre- 
cepts and  examples  to  justify  the  principles  of  their  covenant. 

The  language  of  the  Puritans,  even  in  conversation,  was 
distinguished  by  a  style  of  thought  and  expression  borrowed 
from  the  Hebrew  prophets ;  and  many  of  them  gave  to  their 
children  baptismal  names  expressive  of  pious  emotions.  A 
remarkable  example  of  this  was  the  name  of  one  of  their 

*  Perm's  Rise  and  Progress  of  the  People  called  Quakers. 


30  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

f*  *         "  "  '.  « 

preachers  who  obtained  a  seat  in  Parliament,  and  is  known  in 
history  by  the  singular  appellation  of  Praise-God  Barebone. 

Amid  all  the  fanaticism  which  then  prevailed,  there  was, 
however,  a  great  deal  of  real  piety,  and  much  greater  purity 
of  morals,  than  had  been  before  the  Reformation,  or  immedi- 
ately thereafter.  Many,  being  dissatisfied  with  the  formality 
of  the  Anglican  Church,  as  well  as  the  sanctimonious  manners 
of  the  Puritans,  withdrew  from  both,  and  indeed  from  all 
visible  churches ;  in  order  to  seek  for  instruction  in  private 
meditation  and  prayer. 

They  were  known  by  the  name  of  Seekers,  and  by  some 
were  called  the  Family  of  Love. 

It  was  among  these,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  following  narra- 
tive, that  George  Fox  found  the  readiest  reception  for  his 
doctrines. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Birth  and  parentage — Serious  deportment — Withdraws  from  com- 
pany— Temptations — Goes  to  London — State  of  Society  there — 
Returns  to  Drayton,  visits  Priests  and  professors  of  religion — His 
distress  of  mind — Religious  exercises — Travels  into  Derbyshire,  Lei- 
cestershire, and  Nottinghamshire — Elizabeth  Hooton  convinced — 
George  Fox  appears  in  the  gospel  ministry. 

1624— '48. 

GEORGE  Fox  was  "born  in  the  month  called  July,"  then 
the  fifth  month,  old  style,  "in  the  year  1624,  at  Drayton- 
in-the-Clay,"  *  now  called  Fenny  Drayton,  Leicestershire, 
England. 

His  father,  Christopher  Fox,  was  a  weaver  by  trade,  an 
upright  man,  and  so  noted  for  his  probity,  that  his  neighbours 
called  him  righteous  Christer.  His  mother's  maiden  name 
was  Mary  Lago,  a  pious  woman,  sprung  from  the  stock  of  the 

*  The  edition  of  George  Fox's  Journal  referred  to  in  the  biographical 
part  of  this  work,  is  that  of  Collins,  New  York,  1800. 


HIS   SERIOUS   DEPORTMENT.  31 

martyrs,  and  "  accomplished  above  most  of  her  degree  in  the 
place  where  she  lived."  *  They  were  members  of  the  esta- 
blished church,  and  endeavoured  to  educate  their  children  in 
conformity  with  its  doctrines  and  mode  of  worship.  From  his 
childhood,  George  "  appeared  to  be  of  another  frame  of  mind 
than  the  rest  of  his  brethren ;  being  more  religious,  inward, 
still,  solid  and  observing,"  as  appeared  by  the  answers  he 
would  give,  and  the  questions  he  would  ask  in  relation  to 
divine  things. f 

His  mother  observing  that  he  abstained  from  the  sports  of 
childhood,  treated  him  with  great  tenderness,  and  encouraged 
his  serious  deportment  and  pious  disposition.  At  the  age  of 
eleven  years,  he  was  so  far  brought  under  the  sanctifying 
influence  of  divine  grace  as  to  attain  a  state  of  righteousness 
and  purity.  He  was  taught  by  this  heavenly  monitor  to  be 
faithful,  "inwardly  to  God,  and  outwardly  to  man,  and  to 
keep  to  yea  and  nay  in  all  things,  that  his  words  might  be 
few  and  savory,  seasoned  with  grace." 

His  school  education  was  limited,  but  it  appears  that  he 
learned  in  his  youth  "  to  read  pretty  well,  and  to  write  suffi- 
ciently to  convey  his  meaning  to  others."  J 

Some  of  his  relatives  observing  his  serious  deportment, 
wished  that  he  should  be  educated  for  a  priest, — a  term  then 
applied  to  ministers  of  the  established  church, — but  others 
advised  a  different  course,  and  finally  it  was  concluded  to 
place  him  with  a  man  who  was  by  trade  a  shoemaker,  who 
also  dealt  in  wool  and  kept  sheep.  During  part  of  his  minor- 
ity, George  was  employed  as  a  shepherd,  a  business  well 
adapted  to  his  contemplative  spirit,  and  as  Wm.  Penn  observes, 
was  "a  fit  emblem  of  his  future  service  in  the  church  of 
Christ." 

He  sometimes  used  in  his  dealings  the  word  "verily,"  and 
it  was  a  common  remark  among  his  acquaintance,  "  If  George 
says  verily,  there  is  no  altering  him."  When  boys  and  rude 

*  W.  Perm's  Preface  to  Geo.  Fox's  Journal.  t  Ibid. 

\  Sewel's   Hist,  of  Quakers. 


32  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

persons  would  deride  him,  he  did  not  resent  it,  but  maintained 
a  peaceable  behaviour ;  which,  together  with  his  innocency 
and  honesty,  gained  him  the  general  favour. 

At  nineteen  years  of  age,  being  on  business  at  a  fair,  one 
of  his  cousins  and  another  person,  who  were  both  professors 
of  religion,  invited  him  to  join  them  in  drinking  a  jug  of 
beer,  and  he,  being  thirsty,  consented.  When  they  had  drunk 
a  glass  apiece,  his  companions  began  to  drink  healths,  and 
calling  for  more  beer,  they  said  "he  who  would  not  drink 
should  pay  all." 

George,  being  grieved  with  their  conduct  and  conversation, 
took  out  a  groat  and  laid  it  on  the  table,  saying,  "  If  it  be  so, 
I  will  leave  you."  This  incident  was  the  means  of  awakening 
more  deeply  his  religious  consciousness.  He  saw  that  the 
professors  of  the  Christian  name  were  too  generally  resting 
in  a  form  of  outward  observances,  without  coming  under 
the  influence  of  that  life-giving  spirit  which  renovates  the 
soul. 

He  returned  home  in  deep  distress ;  he  did  not  go  to  bed 
that  night,  nor  could  he  sleep ;  but  "  sometimes  walked  up 
and  down,  and  sometimes  prayed  and  cried  to  the  Lord."  It 
was  then  a  language  was  impressed  upon  his  mind,  as  from  on 
high,  "  Thou  seest  how  young  people  go  together  into  vanity, 
and  old  people  into  the  earth ;  thou  must  forsake  all,  young 
and  old,  keep  out  of  all,  and  be  as  a  stranger  unto  all." 

As  the  divine  Master  was  permitted  to  be  tempted  in  the 
wilderness,  so,  in  the  ordering  of  Infinite  Wisdom,  it  has  often 
been  the  lot  of  his  devoted  servants  to  be  led  into  solitude 
and  apparent  desertion,  for  the  trial  of  their  faith,  that  the 
secrets  of  their  own  hearts  might  be  made  manifest, — the 
voice  of  the  true  shepherd  distinguished  from  the  voice  of  the 
stranger,  and  that  great  truth  established  in  their  experience, 
"  man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that 
proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God." 

Being  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  withdraw  from  the 
companionship  of  men,  George  Fox,  in  the  year  1643,  left 


HIS   TEMPTATIONS.  33 

his  relatives  and  travelled  to  Lutterworth  and  Northampton, 
making  some  stay  in  those  places,  and  thence  passing  on,  he 
arrived  in  Buckinghamshire  the  following  year.  During  this 
journey,  he  kept  aloof  from  all  society,  sometimes  seeking 
retirement  in  his  chamber,  and  often  walking  in  the  fields  or 
in  the  chase  to  wait  upon  the  Lord.  At  this  time,  he  was 
subjected  to  much  mental  suffering  through  deep  religious 
exercise,  for  although  he  had  led  a  life  of  remarkable  purity, 
he  found  within  himself  a  conflict  between  the  powers  of 
light  and  of  darkness,  he  was  assailed  by  strong  temptations, 
and  the  enemy  of  his  soul  rose  like  a  flood  to  overwhelm  him. 
It  was  then  "he  saw  how  Christ  was  tempted,"  and  he  was 
led  to  believe  that  through  the  power  of  Christ  revealed  in 
his  soul,  he  also  should  be  enabled  to  overcome.  At  this 
time  he  read  the  Scriptures  diligently,  and  prayed  for  Divine 
aid  to  open  their  hidden  treasures.  Many  professors  of 
religion,  observing  his  serious  deportment,  sought  his  acquaint- 
ance, but  he,  perceiving  they  did  not  possess  what  they  pro- 
fessed, shunned  their  society  and  lived  in  seclusion. 

Proceeding  on  his  journey,  he  came  to  London  in  the  year 
1644.  The  city  was  then  the  focus  of  intense  excitement 
concerning  religion  and  government. 

The  celebrated  Long  Parliament  and  the  Westminister 
Assembly  of  divines  were  both  in  session.  Having  driven 
the  king  from  his  capital,  and  overthrown  the  hierarchy  of 
the  Anglican  Church,  they  were  now  engaged  in  framing 
another  system  of  church  government  and  civil  polity. 

The  most  powerful  among  the  Puritan  sects  at  that  time 
were  the  Presbyterians,  who  were  exceedingly  zealous  in  their 
religious  exercises,  and  so  rigid  in  their  principles  that  they 
resorted  to  coercive  means  for  the  suppression  of  heresy. 
During  the  short  period  of  their  ascendency,  persecuting  laws 
were  passed,  intended  to  force  upon  the  nation  their  form  of 
worship  and  church  government.*  In  this  course  they  were 

*  Hume,  III.  655,  and  Neal. 


34  LIFE   OP  GEORGE  FOX. 

opposed  by  the  Independents,  who  were  then  in  the  minority. 
They  contended  for  liberty  of  conscience  for  themselves  and 
for  all  who  "  agreed  in  the  fundamentals  of  Christianity ;  but 
when  they  came  to  enumerate  fundamentals,  they  were  sadly 
embarrassed,"*  as  all  must  be,  who  plead  the  cause  of  religious 
liberty  on  any  other  ground  than  universal  toleration. 

The  Baptists  were  then  the  most  tolerant  of  the  prominent 
sects ;  and  George  Fox  found  tenderness  of  feeling  among 
them.  He  had  a  relative  in  London  of  that  persuasion, 
whose  name  was  Pickering;  yet  even  to  him  he  could  not 
impart  his  feelings,  nor  join  with  that  sect  in  religious  pro- 
fession. During  his  stay  there  he  underwent  much  mental 
suffering,  for  he' looked  upon  the  great  professors  in  that  city 
and  saw  all  was  dark,  and  under  the  chain  of  darkness,  "f 

Having  learned  that  his  parents  and  relatives  were  dis- 
tressed at  his  absence,  and  being  unwilling  to  grieve  them,  he 
returned  to  his  home  in  Leicestershire.  Some  of  his  relatives 
advised  him  to  marry,  but  "  he  told  them  he  was  but  a  lad, 
and  must  get  wisdom ; "  others  persuaded  him  to  join  the 
auxiliary  band  of  soldiers,  which  he  refused,  and  was  grieved 
that  they  should  make  him  such  a  proposition.  He  then 
went  to  Coventry,  where  he  took  a  chamber  for  a  while,  until 
the  people  began  to  be  acquainted  with  him.  After  some 
time  he  returned  to  his  native  place  and  continued  about  a 
year  in  great  sorrow  and  trouble,  walking  many  nights  by 
himself. 

During  this  time  he  had  many  conferences  with  Nathaniel 
Stevens  the  parish  priest  of  Drayton,  and  with  another  priest 
who  sometimes  came  with  him.  One  of  these  interviews  is 
thus  related  in  his  Journal : 

"  This  priest  Stevens  asked  me,  why  Christ  cried  out  upon 
the  cross,  *  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?' 
and  why  he  said,  *  If  it  be  possible  let  this  cup  pass  from 
me ;  yet  not  my  will  but  thine  be  done  ?'  I.  told  him ;  at 
that  time  the  sins  of  all  mankind  were  upon  him,  and  their 

*  Neal,  II.  19.  t  Journal. 


DOCTOR    CRADDOCK.  35 

iniquities  and  transgressions,  with  which  he  was  wounded ; 
which  he  was  to  bear,  and  to  be  an  offering  for,  as  he  was 
man,  but  died  not  as  he  was  God  ;  so,  in  that  he  died  for  all 
men,  tasting  death  for  every  man,  he  was  an  offering  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world. 

"  This  I  spoke  being  at  that  time  in  a  measure  sensible  of 
Christ's  sufferings.*  The  priest  said,  '  It  was  a  very  good 
full  answer,  and  such  a  one  as  he  had  not  heard.'  At  that 
time,  he  would  applaud  and  speak  highly  of  me  to  others,  and 
what  I  said  in  discourse  to  him  on  week-days,  he  would  preach 
on  first-days,  which  gave  me  a  dislike  to  him.  This  priest 
afterwards  became  my  great  persecutor." 

In  the  year  1645,  he  went  to  an  aged  priest  at  Mansetter, 
in  Warwickshire,  and  reasoned  with  him  concerning  the 
grounds  of  temptation  and  despair,  but  the  priest  being  igno- 
rant of  his  condition,  could  administer  no  comfort,  and  bade 
him  take  tobacco  and  sing  psalms.  Tobacco  he  did  not  like, 
and  psalms  he  was  not  in  a  state  to  sing,  for  his  mind  was 
bowed  under  the  burden  of  his  sorrows.  He  then  resorted 
for  counsel  to  Dr.  Craddock,  of  Coventry,  who  was  becoming 
noted  as  a  minister  and  an  author  of  religious  works.  This 
learned  man  was,  however,  but  little  acquainted  with  the 
school  of  Christ,  for  when  George  inquired  of  him  concerning 
the  origin  of  temptation  and  despair,  he  asked,  "  Who  was 
Christ's  father  and  mother?"  George  replied  that  "Mary 
was  his  mother,  and  he  was  supposed  to  be  the  son  of  Joseph, 
but  he  was  the  Son  of  God." 

As  they  were  walking  together  in  the  garden,  George 
chanced  to  set  his  foot  upon  the  side  of  a  bed,  at  which  the 
Doctor  raged  as  though  his  house  had  been  on  fire. 

This  broke  off  their  conference,  and  George  came  away  in 
sorrow,  finding  the  priests  all  miserable  comforters. 

He  was  next  advised  to  try  the  effect  of  medicine  and 
blood-letting.  But  a  lancet  being  applied  to  hjis  arms  and 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Doctrines,  in  this  volume,  where  this  passage 
is  quoted 


36  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

head,  the  blood  would  not  flow^:  his  body  seemed  to  be  dried 
up  with  grief  and  trouble.  In  the  extremity  of  his  distress, 
he  could  have  wished  that  he  had  never  been  born,  or  that  he 
had  been  born  blind  and  deaf,  so  that  he  might  not  have  wit- 
nessed the  wickedness  and  profanity  of  men. 

When  Christmas  came,  and  others  were  engaged  in  the 
festivities  usual  at  that  season,  he  could  not  join  in  their 
sports,  but  he  visited  the  poor,  the  widows,  and  the  orphans, 
to  whom  he  gave  alms  to  supply  their  necessities.  When  in- 
vited to  weddings,  he  declined  to  attend,  but  soon  after  he 
would  visit  the  married  pair,  and  if  they  were  poor,  he  would 
give  them  money,  for  he  had  the  means  not  only  to  support 
himself,  but  to  contribute  to  the  comfort  of  others. 

Early  in  the  year  1646,  as  he  was  going  into  Coventry,  he 
was  led  to  reflect  on  the  proposition  that  "  all  Christians  are 
believers,  both  Protestants  and  Papists ;"  and  it  was  made 
clear  to  his  understanding  that  if  all  were  believers,  then  were 
all  born  of  God,  and  passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  that 
none  were  true  believers  but  such,  whatever  might  be  their 
profession.  Afterward,  while  walking  in  the  fields,  it  was 
opened  to  him  "  that  being  bred  at  Oxford  or  Cambridge  was 
not  enough  to  fit  and  qualify  men  to  be  ministers  of  Christ," 
and  he  wondered  at  it,  for  such  was  the  belief  in  which  he 
had  been  educated. 

At  another  time,  that  Scripture  text,  "  God  who  made  the 
world,  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands,"  was  impres- 
sively revived  in  his  mind,  and  he  saw  clearly  that  the  temple 
of  the  Lord  is  the  heart  or  soul  of  man,  which  should  be  dedi- 
cated to  his  service.  This  at  first  seemed  strange  to  him,  for 
the  people  were  accustomed  to  call  their  houses  of  worship 
dreadful  places,  holy  ground,  and  the  temples  of  God.  This 
was  made  known  to  him  as  he  was  walking  through  the  fields 
to  the  house  of  a  relative,  where,  when  he  came,  he  learned 
that  Nathaniel  Stevens,  the  parish  priest,  had  been  before  him, 
and  told  them  "  he  was  afraid  of  George  for  going  after  new 
lights." 


ELIZABETH   HOOTTON.  37 

He  now  ceased  to  frequent  the  parish  church,  which  grieved 
his  relatives,  who,  although  they  saw  beyond  the  priests,  still 
continued  in  attendance  on  their  service.  He  showed  them 
from  the  Scriptures  that  there  was  an  anointing  within  man 
to  teach  him,  and  that  the  Lord  would  teach  his  people 
himself. 

Having  removed  to  another  place,  he  found  a  people  who 
relied  much  upon  dreams.  He  told  them  that  unless  "  they 
could  distinguish  between  dream  and  dream,  they  would  con- 
found all  together,  for  there  were  three  sorts  of  dreams : 
multitude  of  business  sometimes  caused  dreams;  and  there 
were  whisperings  of  Satan  in  man  in  the  night  season,  and 
there  were  speakings  of  God  in  man  in  dreams."  These 
people  afterwards  advanced  in  religious  experience,  and  became 
Friends. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  year  1647,  he  was  led  by  a 
sense  of  religious  duty,  to  travel  into  Derbyshire,  and  from 
thence  into  Leicestershire  and  Nottinghamshire ;  in  all  which 
counties  he  found  friendly  and  religious  people,  with  whom 
he  had  many  conferences.  One  of  these  was  Elizabeth  Hoot- 
ton,  who  subsequently  was  joined  in  membership  with  Friends, 
and  was  the  first  female  who  became  a  minister  among  them. 

The  mental  sufferings  of  George  Fox  still  continued,  and 
he  was  often  under  great  temptations.  He  fasted  much,  and 
walked  abroad  in  solitary  places.  Taking  his  Bible,  he  sat  in 
hollow  trees  or  secluded  spots,  and  often,  at  night,  he  walked 
alone  in  silent  meditation.  He  was  thus  led,  for  the  trial  and 
confirmation  of  his  faith,  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the  holy 
Redeemer,  who  was-  "  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with 
grief." 

During  all  this  time  he  did  not  join  in  religious  profession 
with  any,  but  gave  himself  up  to  wait  upon  the  Lord,  and 
having  forsaken  father  and  mother,  home  and  kindred,  he 
travelled  from  place  to  place,  as  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty. 
But  although  his  exercises  and  trials  were  great,  he  often  had 
intermissions,  and  sometimes  experienced  such  heavenly  joy, 


38  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

that  all  his  troubles  seemed  as  nothing  for  Christ's  sake.  He 
then  compared  his  situation  to  that  of  being  in  Abraham's 
bosom,  and  exclaimed  from  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  "  0 !  the 
everlasting  love  of  God  to  my  soul !  Thou,  Lord,  makest  a 
fruitful  field  a  barren  wilderness,  and  a  barren  wilderness  a 
fruitful  field !  Thou  bringest  down  and  settest  up !  Thou 
killest  and  makest  alive !  All  honour  and  glory  be  to  thee, 
oh  Lord  of  glory !  The  knowledge  of  Thee  in  the  spirit  is 
life,  but  that  knowledge  which  is  fleshly  works  death." 

He  saw  that  apostates  and  pretenders  could  use  the  words 
of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  as  recorded  in  the  Holy  Scriptures ; 
but  not  being  governed  by  the  spirit  of  Christ,  they  were  ready 
to  conform  to  anything  for  the  promotion  of  their  private 
ends.  They  could  persecute,  and  rend,  and  devour  the  sheep 
of  Christ,  but  they  neither  knew  the  voice  of  the  true  shep- 
herd nor  obeyed  his  law. 

Having  learned  to  regard  the  parish  priests  less  favourably, 
h^now  began  to  look  more  toward  the  Dissenters.  Among 
these  he  found  openness  to  hear,  and  tenderness  to  feel,  for 
they  had  made  some  progress  in  religious  experience,  and 
many  of  them  were  afterwards  convinced  of  the  doctrines  he 
taught.  He  found,  however,  that  as  he  had  forsaken  the 
priests,  so  he  must  leave  the  dissenting  preachers,  for  none  of 
them  could  administer  relief  to  his  soul  that  was  hungering  for 
spiritual  food.  It  was  then  a  voice  was  addressed  to  his  men- 
tal ear,  saying,  "  There  is  one,  even  Christ  Jesus,  that  can 
speak  to  thy  condition."  His  heart  leaped  for  joy — his  desires 
for  communion  with  God  grew  stronger — his  spiritual  percep- 
tions became  more  clear,  and  he  found  that  "  the  path  of  the 
just  is  as  the  shining  light  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day." 

Thus  he  grew  in  the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  not  by  a 
reliance  upon  any  man,  book,  or  writing,  "  but  through  the 
operation  of  divine  grace  in  the  soul."  For  though  he  dili- 
gently read  the  scriptures,  that  speak  of  Christ  and  of  God, 
yet  "  he  knew  him  not  but  by  revelation,  as  he  who  hath  the 


SPIRITUAL   EXERCISES.  39 

key  did  open,  and  as  the  Father  of  Life  drew  him  unto  his 
Son  by  his  spirit."  In  describing  his  condition  at  this  time, 
he  says  in  his  Journal  $  "  Then  the  Lord  led  me  gently  along, 
and  let  me  see  his  love,  which  was  endless  and  eternal,  sur- 
passing all  the  knowledge  that  men  have  in  the  natural  state, 
or  can  get  by  history  or  books."  *  *  *  "  When  I  was 
in  the  deep,  under  all  shut  up,  I  could  not  believe  I  should 
ever  overcome ;  my  troubles  and  my  temptations  were  so  great 
that  I  often  thought  I  should  have  despaired.  But  when 
Christ  opened  to  me  how  he  was  tempted  by  the  same  devil, 
and  had  overcome  him  and  bruised  his  head ;  and  that  through 
him  and  his  power,  light,  grace,  and  spirit,  I  should  overcome 
also,  I  had  confidence  in  him."  *  *  "  Thus,  in  the 

deepest  miseries,  in  the  greatest  sorrows  and  temptations  that 
beset  me,  the  Lord  in  his  mercy  did  keep  me.  I  found  two 
thirsts  in  me :  the  one  after  the  -creatures  to  have  got  help 
and  strength  there ;  and  the  other  after  the  Lord,  the  creator, 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  I  saw  all  the  world  could  do  me 
no  good.  If  I  had  had  a  king's  diet,  palace,  and  attendance, 
all  would  have  been  as  nothing,  for  nothing  gave  me  comfort 
but  the  Lord  by  his  power."  *  *  *  "  I  saw  how  death 
had  passed  upon  all  men,  and  oppressed  the  seed  of  God  in 
man,  and  in  me ;  and  how  I,  in  the  seed,  came  forth,  and  what 
the  promise  was  to."  "Yet  it  was  so  that  there  seemed  to 
be  two  pleading  in  me ;  and  questionings  arose  in  my  mind 
about  gifts  and  prophecies,  and  I  was  tempted  again  to  des- 
pair, as  if  I  had  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  was  in 
great  perplexity  and  trouble  many  days,  yet  I  gave  myself 
up  to  the  Lord  still." 

"  One  day  when  I  had  been  walking  solitarily  abroad,  and 
was  come  home,  I  was  taken  up  in  the  love  of  God,  so  that  I 
could  not  but  admire  the  greatness  of  his  love,  and  while  I 
was  in  that  condition,  it  was  opened  unto  me  by  the  eternal 
light  and  power,  and  therein  I  clearly  saw,  that  all  was  done 
and  to  be  done  in  and  by  Christ ;  and  how  he  conquers  and 
destroys  this  tempter  the  Devil,  and  all  his  works,  and  is  atop 


40  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

of  him,  and  that  all  these  troubles  were  good  for  me,  and 
temptations  for  the  trial  of  my  faith,  which  Christ  had  given 
me.  The  Lord  opened  me,  that  I  saw  through  all  these  troubles 
and  temptations.  My  living  faith  was  raised  that  I  saw  all 
was  done  by  Christ  the  life,  and  my  belief  was  in  him."  * 

The  long  and  painful  exercises  through  which  he  was  pass- 
ing were  designed  by  Infinite  Wisdom  to  qualify  him  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  to  which  he  was  soon  to  be  called  by 
the  gre'at  Head  of  the  Church.  This  was  the  baptism  of  fire, 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  intended  to  take  away  the  dross,  and 
the  tin,  and  the  "reprobate  silver,"  that  nothing  but  the  pure 
gold,  which  abides  the  fire,  might  remain ;  and  thus  he  was 
prepared  for  a  vessel  in  the  Lord's  house. 

As  the  Apostle  in  his  sufferings,  "  filled  up  that  which  is 
behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ,  for  his  body's  sake  which  is 
the  Church,  so  must  the  true  ministers  of  the  gospel  be  bap- 
tized at  times  into  a  feeling  of  the  states  of  the  people."  This 
was  subsequently  made  known  to  George  Fox  when  he  was 
shown  that  the  various  propensities  of  animal  nature  are  all 
discoverable  in  man.  Thus,  when  he  saw  that  the  nature  of 
dogs,  swine  and  vipers,  of  Sodom  and  Egypt,  of  Cain,  Ishmael, 
and  Esau,  were  all  to  be  found  within,  he  was  led  to  inquire 
"  why  should  I  be  thus,  seeing  I  was  never  addicted  to  commit 
these  evils?"  Then  was  the  language  intelligibly  addressed 
to  his  mind,  that,  "  It  was  needful  he  should  have  a  sense  of 
all  conditions,  for  how  else  should  he  speak  to  all  conditions  ?" 

Having  heard  of  a  woman  in  Lancashire  who  had  fasted 
two-and-twenty  days,  he  went  to  see  her,  but  perceived  that 
she  was  under  a  temptation.  He  then  passed  on  to  Ducken- 
field  and  Mansfield,  where  he  staid  awhile  and  "  declared  truth 
among  them."  Some  were  convinced,  and  being  turned  to  the 
Lord's  teachings  in  themselves  "stood  in  the  truth."  Many 
of  the  professors  of  religion  who  pleaded  for  sin  and  imperfec- 
tion during  life,  were  much  incensed  when  they  heard  him 
preach  the  doctrine  of  "  perfection  or  of  a  holy  and  sinless 

*  Journal,  1. 10-12. 


THE   BLOOD   OF   CHEIST.  41 

life."  This  was  in  the  year  1647,  and  appears  to  have  been 
near  the  beginning  of  his  public  ministry. 

About  this  time  there  was  a  meeting  appointed  by  the 
Baptists  at  Broughton  in  Leicestershire  with  some  that  had 
separated  from  them.  Not  many  of  the  Baptists  came,  but  a 
multitude  of  other  people,  and  George  Fox  being  there 
preached  the  gospel  to  them.  He  had  great  openings  in  the 
scriptures,  and  when  he  reasoned  with  the  people  concerning 
the  doctrines  of  salvation  some  were  convinced,  and  remained 
steadfast  in  the  faith. 

While  walking  near  the  parish  house  of  worship  in  Mans- 
field, this  language  was  impressed  upon  his  mind,  "  that  which 
people  trample  upon,  must  be  thy  food."  And  immediately 
it  was  opened  to  him  by  the  spirit  of  truth,  that  the  professors 
of  religion  were  living  upon  words,  and  they  fed  one  another 
upon  words,  but  "  they  trampled  under  foot  the  blood  of  the 
Son  of  God,  which  blood  was  his  life."  "This  is  the  bread 
of  God  which  comes  down  from  heaven  and  gives  life  to  the 
world."* 

A  report  having  gone  abroad  that  George  Fox  was  "  a  young 
man  who  had  a  discerning  spirit,"  many  came  from  far  and 
near  to  see  him,  but  he  was  apprehensive  of  being  drawn  into 
words  without  the  life  and  power  of  the  gospel.  This  salutary 
fear  preserved  him  from  being  elated  with  the  disclosures  of 
heavenly  truth,  and  restrained  him  from  engaging  in  unprofit- 
able discussions.  Another  cause  why  public  attention  was 
directed  to  him,  was  the  prediction  of  a  person  named  Brown, 
who  on  his  death-bed  spoke  of  the  work  that  George  Fox  would 
be  made  instrumental  to  perform. 

Soon  after  Brown's  burial,  George  fell  into  such  a  condition 
that  he  looked  like  a  corpse,  and  many  who  came  to  see  him 
supposed  him  to  be  really  dead.  In  this  trance  he  continued 
fourteen  days,  after  which  his  sorrows  began  to  abate,  and 
with  brokenness  of  heart  and  tears  of  joy  he  acknowledged 
the  infinite  love  of  God  which  is  beyond  the  power  of  language 

*John  vi.  33. 


42  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

to  express.  Being  "  brought  through  the  very  ocean  of  dark- 
ness and  death, "  he  could  say  that  he  "  had  been  in  spiritual 
Babylon,  Egypt,  and  the  grave,"  but  by  the  grace  and  power 
of  God  he  was  delivered  and  enabled  to  rejoice  in  the  assurance 
of  divine  acceptance. 

He  attended  a  meeting  of  priests  and  professors  at  the 
house  of  a  justice,  where  he  heard  them  discoursing  on  that 
expression  of  Paul,  who  said,  "  he  had  not  known  sin  but  by 
the  law  which  said,  'thou  shalt  not  lust.' '  They  held  that 
this  was  said  of  the  outward  law.  But  he  told  them  it  was 
spoken  after  Paul's  conversion  ;  for  he  had  the  outward  law 
before,  when  he  was  in  the  lust  of  persecution,  "  but  this  was 
the  law  of  God  in  his  mind  which  he  served,  which  the  laws 
in  his  members  warred  against,  for  that  which  he  thought  had 
been  life  to  him,  proved  death." 

Being  at  a  great  religious  meeting  at  Mansfield,  he  felt 
constrained  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  appear  in  prayer,  and  the 
Lord's  power  was  so  eminently  manifested  among  them,  that 
the  house  seemed  to  be  shaken,  so  that  some  of  the  congrega- 
tion remarked,  "  it  was  now  as  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles, 
when  the  house  was  shaken  where  they  were."  The  effect  of 
this  prayer  on  the  audience  encouraged  another  professor  to 
pray,  but  he  not  being  under  the  same  influence,  brought  a 
sense  of  deadness  over  the  assembly,  whereupon  George  was 
asked  to  pray  again,  "  but  he  could  not  pray  in  man's  will." 

This  incident  brings  to  mind  the  testimony  of  William 
Penn,  who  says  of  George  Fox  that  "  above  all  he  excelled  in 
prayer :  the  inwardness  and  weight  of  his  spirit,  the  reverence 
and  solemnity  of  his  address  and  behaviour,  and  the  fewness 
and  fulness  of  his  words,  have  often  struck  even  strangers 
with  admiration,  as  they  used  to  reach  others  with  consolation."* 

At  his  first  appearance  in  the  ministry,  his  discourses  were 
brief,  consisting  chiefly  of  a  few  weighty  expressions,  which, 
being  adapted  to  the  states  of  the  hearers,  gained  an  entrance 
into  hearts  already  prepared  for  their  reception,  f  His 

*  Preface  to  George  Fox's  Journal.  f  Sewel,  I.  18. 


THE   CHURCH   OF   CHRIST.  43 

/ 
chief  concern  was  to  call  their  attention  to  the  word,  or  spirit 

of  God  manifested  in  the  soul,  which  he  usually  designated  by 
the  expressive  scriptural  term,  "the  true  light  that  lighteth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  This  divine  power  he 
sometimes  referred  to  as  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  is  the 
saint's  drink,  for  according  to  the  scriptures  "the  blood  is  the 
life,"  and  "the  life  is  the  light  of  men."* 

He  attended  a  meeting  of  religious  professors,  where 
Captain  Amos  Stoddard  was  present.  They  were  discoursing 
of  the  blood  of  Christ,  when  George  Fox  felt  constrained  to 
cry  out,  "  Do  ye  not  see  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  See  it  in  your 
hearts,  to  sprinkle  your  hearts  and  consciences  from  dead 
works,  to  serve  the  living  God."  This  startled  the  professors 
who  would  have  the  blood  only  without  them,  and  not  in  them ; 
but  Captain  Stoddard  said,  "  Let  the  youth  speak,  hear  the 
youth  speak,"  when  he  saw  they  endeavoured  to  bear  him 
down  with  many  words. 

Having  heard  of  another  great  meeting  to  be  held  at 
Leicester,  for  religious  controversy,  in  which  Presbyterians, 
Independents,  Episcopalians,  and  Baptists  were  to  be  con- 
cerned, he  attended  and  listened  to  their  discussions.  At 
length,  a  woman  asked  a  question,  from  the  first  epistle  of 
Peter,  "  What  that  birth  was  ?  to  wit,  being  born  again  of  in- 
corruptible seed,  by  the  word  of  God  that  liveth  and  abideth 
for  ever?"  The  priest  said  to  her,  "  I  permit  not  a  woman  to 
speak  in  the  church,"  though  he  had  before  given  liberty  for 
any  to  speak.  This  brought  George  Fox  to  his  feet,  who 
stepped  up  and  asked  the  priest,  "  Dost  thou  call  this  place 
a  church  ?  Or  dost  thou  call  this  mixed  multitude  a  church  ? 
But  instead  of  answering  him,  the  priest  asked  "what  a 
church  was  ?"  George  replied,  "  The  church  is  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  truth,  made  up  of  living  stones,  living  members,  a 
spiritual  household,  of  which  Christ  is  the  head :  but  he  is 
not  the  head  of  a  mixed  multitude,  or  of  an  old  house  made 
up  of  lime,  stones,  and  wood.  This  threw  them  all  into 

*  Gen.  ix.  4.  John  i.  4. 


44  LIFE   QF   GEORGE   FOX. 

commotion,  the  priest  came  down  from  his  pulpit,  the  people 
out  of  their  pews,  and  the  discussion  was  broken  up. 

Returning  again  into  Nottinghamshire,  he  visited  the  vale 
of  Beavor,  where  he  "  preached  repentance  to  the  people,"  and 
many  were  convinced  through  his  ministry.  Here  he  was 
again  assailed  by  temptation.  One  morning  as  he  sat  by  the 
fire,  a  suggestion  of  Atheism  arose  in  his  mind,  accompanied 
by  an  impression,  that  all  things  came  by  nature,  "  the 
elements  and  the  stars  come  over  him,"  the  heavens  were 
clouded,  and  darkness  shrouded  his  mind.  As  he  sat  still, 
waiting  for  light,  a  living  hope  arose  within  him  and  a  true 
voice  said,  "  There  is  a  living  God  who  made  all  things." 
Immediately  the  cloud  was  dispelled,  the  temptation  vanished 
away,  and  his  heart  was  filled  with  joy  and  praise. 

Soon  afterwards  he  met  with  some  persons  who,  having 
yielded  to  a  similar  temptation,  denied  the  existence  of  a 
Deity,  and  he  was  enabled  from  his  own  experience  to  speak 
to  their  condition,  and  to  convince  them  that  there  is  a  living 
God. 

About  this  time,  there  being  at  Mansfield  a  sitting  of  the 
justices  for  the  purpose  of  hiring  servants,  George  Fox,  from 
a  sense  of  duty  attended,  in  order  to  exhort  them  not  to  op- 
press the  poor  in  their  wages.  He  also  attended  other  places 
of  public  resort,  warning  and  admonishing  the  people  to  cease 
from  oppression,  to  abstain  from  oaths,  to  turn  their  hearts  to 
the  Lord,  and  to  do  justly. 

Thus  the  work  to  which  he  was  called  went  forward  and 
prospered,  many  being  turned  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  During  the  years  1647, 
and  '48,  in  many  places,  meetings  of  Friends  were  gathered, 
who  were  led  to  relinquish  their  dependence  on  outward  ob- 
servances, and  to  receive  with  gladness  the  message  of  George 
Fox,  that  "  Jesus  Christ  teaches  his  people  himself,"  through 
the  influence  of  his  "light,  spirit,  and  power." 


CHAPTER  III. 

His  views  on  gospel  ministry — on  lawyers — physicians  and  priests — 
on  understanding  the  scriptures.  He  goes  into  the  "  steeple-house  " 
at  Nottingham — the  "  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  " — He  is  cast  into 
prison — taken  to  the  Sheriff's  house — again  in  jail — released  and 
travels  in  the  ministry — is  beaten  and  abused  at  Mansfield — reproves 
the  Ranters  at  Coventry — meets  with  Priest  Stevens — prays  for  a  sick 
man  who  is  healed — attends  a  meeting  at  Derby — is  examined  and 
committed  to  prison. 

1648— '50. 

THE  views  of  George  Fox  in  relation  to  the  gospel  ministry, 
were  clear,  consistent,  and  practical ;  being  derived  from  the 
manifestations  of  divine  grace,  and  corroborated  by  the  Sacred 
Scriptures.  The  authority  claimed  by  the  clergy  of  the 
Anglican  Church,  as  well  as  by  the  Romish  priesthood,  by 
virtue  of  their  ordination  and  pretended  apostolic  succession, 
he  considered  utterly  fallacious ;  inasmuch,  as  it  was  derived 
through  an  apostate  Church,  and  was  held  to  be  sufficient, 
without  regard  to  personal  character  or  religious  experience. 

None  are  successors  of  the  apostles,  in  their  ministry, 
unless  endued  with  a  measure  of  the  same  divine  spirit  that 
dwelt  in  the  apostles,  even  as  they  only  who  have  the  faith 
of  Abraham  are  accounted  his  children  and  heirs  of  the  pro- 
mises. As  well  might  a  man  entirely  ignorant  of  natural 
science,  attempt  to  fill  the  chair  of  philosophy,  as  for  one  who 
has  not  experienced  the  regenerating  power  of  Divine  grace, 
to  assume  the  office  of  expounding  the  sacred  truths  of  re- 
ligion. 

The  gospel  of  Christ,  although  it  be  "  glad  tidings  "  to  the 
poor  in  spirit,  is  not  a  mere  relation  of  events  that  are  past. 
It  is  a  living  reality — a  quickening  influence,  "  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth."  "  The  gos- 
pel," says  George  Fox,  "was  preached  to  Adam,  the  seed  of 

(45) 


46  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  woman  was  promised  to  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  and  this 
was,  and  is  the  power  of  God  the  glorious  gospel."  *  In  reply 
to  some  who  asserted  that  "  the  gospel  was  the  four  books  of 
Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John,  he  affirmed  that  "  the  gospel 
was  the  power  of  God  which  was  preached  before  [the  narra- 
tives] of  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John  were  written,  and  it 
was  preached  to  every  creature  (of  which  a  great  part  might 
never  see  nor  hear  those  four  books),  so  that  every  creature 
was  to  obey  the  power  of  God ;  for  Christ  the  Spiritual  man 
would  judge  the  world  according  to  the  gospel,  that  is,  accord- 
ing to  his  invisible  power. "| 

The  true  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  therefore  those  only, 
who  live  and  move  under  the  influence  of  this  power,  and  are 
furnished  by  it  with  matter  adapted  to  the  states  of  the  people 
to  whom  they  minister. 

Being  shocked  with  the  venality  of  the  clergy,  George  Fox 
exclaims,  "  Oh  !  the  vast  sums  of  money  that  are  got  by  the 
trade  they  make  of  selling  the  scriptures,  and  by  their  preach- 
ing, from  the  highest  bishop  to  the  lowest  priest !  What  one 
trade  in  the  world  is  comparable  to  it  ?  Notwithstanding  the 
scriptures  were  given  forth  freely,  Christ  commanded  his 
ministers  to  preach  freely,  and  the  prophets  and  apostles 
denounced  judgments  against  all  covetous  hirelings  and  divi- 
ners for  money.  But  in  this  free  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  was 
I  sent  forth  to  declare  the  word  of  life  and  reconciliation  freely, 
that  all  might  come  to  Christ  who  gives  freely  and  renews  up 
into  the  image  of  God  which  men  and  women  were  in  before 
they  fell,  that  they  might  sit  down  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

This  disinterested  minister  of  the  gospel  had  learned  to 
deny  himself,  and  to  renounce  all  dependence  upon  his  own 
abilities,  natural  or  acquired.  He  waited  patiently  on  Him 
"  who  is  the  true  shepherd  and  bishop  of  souls,"  who  "putteth 
forth  his  own  sheep  and  goeth  before  them,"  and  he  found  in 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  III.  564.  t  Journal,  II.  23. 


A   STATE   OF   RESTORATION.       •  47 

his  own  experience  the  divine  promise  fulfilled,  "  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee." 

In  his  Journal,  he  thus  describes  the  state  of  joy  and  peace 
that  succeeded  his  deep   trials  and  mental  conflicts :  "  Now 
was  I  come  up  in  spirit  through  the  flaming  sword  into  the 
paradise  of  God.     All  things  were  new,  and  all  the  creation 
gave  another  smell  unto  me  than  before,  beyond  what  words 
can  utter.      I  knew  nothing  but  pureness,  innocency,  and 
righteousness,  being  renewed  up  into  the  image  of  God  by 
Christ  Jesus ;  so  that  I  was  come  up  to  the  state  of  Adam, 
which  he  was  in  before  the  fall.     The  creation  was  opened  to 
me ;  and  it  was  showed  me,  how  all  things  had  their  names 
given  them  according  to  their  nature  and  virtue.     I  was  at  a 
stand  in  my  mind,  whether  I  should  practise  physic  for  the 
good  of  mankind,  seeing  the  nature  and  virtues  of  the  crea- 
tures were  so  opened  to  me  by  the  Lord.     But  I  was  imme- 
diately taken  up  in  spirit,  to  see  into  another  or  more  stead- 
fast state  than  Adam's  in  innocency,  even  into  a  state  in 
Christ  Jesus,  that  should  never  fall.     The  Lord  showed  me 
that  such  as  were  faithful  to  him,  in  the  power  and  light  of 
Christ,  should  come  up  into  that  state  in  which  Adam  was 
before  he  fell;  in  which  the  admirable  works  of  the  creation 
and  the  virtues  thereof  may  be  known,  through  the  openings 
of  that  divine  Word  of  wisdom  and  power  by  which  they  were 
made.     Great  things  did  the  Lord  lead  me  into,  and  wonder- 
ful depths  were  opened  unto  me,  beyond  what  can,  by  words, 
be  declared ;  but  as  people  come  into  subjection  to  the  spirit 
of  God,  and  grow  up  in  the  image  and  power  of  the  Almighty, 
they  may  receive  the  Word  of  wisdom  that  opens  all  things, 
and  come  to  know  the  hidden  unity  in  the  Eternal  Being."* 

Being  thus  divinely  enlightened,  he  saw  that  those  who 
were  engaged  in  the  three  great  professions  of  Law,  Physic, 
and  Divinity,  were  too  generally  ignorant  of  that  wisdom 
which  cometh  down  from  above,  and  is  profitable  to  direct  us, 
even  in  natural  things.  He  was  led  to  believe  that  by  abiding 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  I.  21,  22. 


48  LIFE   OF   GEORGE  FOX. 

under  this  divine  influence,  these  professions  might  be  re- 
formed. The  lawyers,  by  attending  to  "the  law  of  the  Spirit 
of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,"  would  see  that  "he  who  wrongs  his 
neighbour  wrongs  himself,"  and  that  every  man  "  should  do 
unto  others  as  he  would  that  they  should  do  unto  him."  The 
physician  might  thus  be  enabled  "to  receive  a  right  know- 
ledge of  the  creatures,  and  to  understand  the  virtues  of  them, 
which  the  Word  of  Wisdom,  by  which  they  were  created  and 
are  upheld,  hath  given  them."  The  priests,  by  obedience  to 
the  same  holy  power,  "  might  be  reformed  and  brought  into 
the  true  faith,  which  is  the  gift  of  God."  He  saw,  "concern- 
ing the  priests,  that,  although  they  stood  in  deceit,  and  acted 
by  the  dark  power  which  both  they  and  their  people  were 
kept  under,  yet  they  were  not  the  greatest  deceivers  spoken 
of  in  scripture,  for  they  were  not  come  so  far  as  many  of 
these."  The  greatest  deceivers  were  those  who,  having  expe- 
rienced the  goodness  of  God,  and  heard  his  voice,  and  known 
his  spirit,  yet  "  turned  from  the  Spirit  and  the  Word,  and  went 
into  gainsaying."  *  *  *  "  These  were  they  that  led  the 
world  after  them,  who,  having  the  form  of  godliness,  denied 
the  power  thereof." 

He  was  also  instructed  how  it  was  "  that  people  read  the 
scriptures  without  a  right  sense  of  them,  and  without  duly 
applying  them  to  their  own  states.  For  when  they  read 
that  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses ;  and  that  the  law 
and  the  prophets  were  until  John ;  and  that  the  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  John,  they  read  these 
things  without  them,  and  applied  them  to  others ;  (and  the 
things  were  true  of  others,)  but  they  did  not  turn  in  to  find 
the  truth  of  these  things  in  themselves."  It  was  opened  to 
him  how  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses  ;  "  from  the  en- 
trance into  transgression  till  they  came  to  the  ministration  of 
condemnation,  which  restrains  people  from  sin  that  brings 
death."  "  When  the  ministration  of  Moses  is  passed  through, 
the  ministry  of  the  prophets  comes  to  be  read  and  understood, 
which  reaches  through  the  figures,  types  and  shadows  unto 


A  SINLESS   STATE.  49 

John,  the  greatest  prophet  born  of  a  woman ;  whose  minis- 
tration prepares  the  way  of  the  Lord  by  bringing  down  the 
exalted  mountains  and  making  straight  paths.  As  this  minis- 
tration is  passed  through,  an  entrance  comes  to  be  known  into 
the  everlasting  kingdom."  *  *  *  "  But  all  must  first 
know  the  voice  crying  in  the  wilderness, — in  their  hearts, 
which,  through  transgression,  were  become  as  a  wilderness." 
*  *  *  «  They  could  not  know  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
Moses,  the  prophets,  and  John's  words,  nor  see  their  path  and 
travels,  much  less  see  through  them,  and  to  the  end  of  them 
into  the  kingdom,  unless  they  had  the  spirit  and  light  of  Jesus ; 
nor  could  they  know  the  words  of  Christ  and  of  his  apostles 
without  his  spirit." 

Among  all  the  professors  of  religion  with  whom  George  Fox 
conversed,  he  found  no  sect  willing  to  receive  the  doctrine 
that  man,  by  obedience,  may  now  come  up  to  that  sinless  state 
which  Adam  was  in  before  the  fall ;  still  less  would  they  admit 
that  a  measure  of  the  same  spirit  that  guided  the  prophets 
and  apostles  may  now  be  experienced  by  the  faithful,  though 
it  is  certain  that  none  can  truly  understand  their  writings 
without  the  influence  of  the  same  spirit  by  which  they  were 
dictated.  "  I  was  sent,"  he  says,  "  to  turn  people  from  dark- 
ness to  the  light,  that  they  might  receive  Christ  Jesus  ;  for,  to 
as  many  as  should  receive  him  in  his  light,  I  saw  he  would 
give  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God ;  which  I  had  obtained 
by  receiving  Christ.  I  was  to  direct  people  to  the  spirit,  that 
gave  forth  the  scriptures,  by  which  they  might  be  led  into  all 
truth,  and  so  up  to  Christ  and  God,  as  they  had  been  who 
gave  them  forth.  I  was  to  turn  them  to  the  grace  of  God, 
and  to  the  truth  in  the  heart  which  came  by  Jesus ;  that 
by  this  grace  they  might  be  taught,  which  would  bring  them 
salvation,  that  their  hearts  might  be  established  by  it,  their 
words  might  be  seasoned,  and  all  might  come  to  know  their 
salvation  nigh.  I  saw  Christ  had  died  for  all  men,  was  a  pro- 
pitiation for  all,  and  had  enlightened  all  men  and  women  with 
4 


50  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

his  divine  and  saving  light ;  and  that  none  could  be  true 
believers  but  those  who  believed  therein." 

Being  thus  called  and  qualified  to  preach  the  kingdom  of 
Christ — the  reign  of  God  in  the  soul — he  went  forth  with 
gladness  to  proclaim  to  others  that  which  had  become,  to  him- 
self, the  source  of  consolation  and  joy.  He  was  required  to 
bring  men  off  from  their  own  ways,  to  Christ  the  new  and 
living  way ;  and  from  churches  set  up  by  human  authority,  to 
"  the  Church  in  God,  the  general  assembly  written  in  heaven" 
of  which  Christ  is  the  head. 

"  I  was,"  he  says,  "  to  bring  people  off  from  all  the  world's 
religions,  which  are  in  vain ;  that  they  might  know  the  pure 
religion,  might  visit  the  fatherless,  the  widows  and  the 
strangers,  and  keep  themselves  from  the  spots  of  the  world : 
then  there  would  not  be  so  many  beggars,  the  sight  of  whom 
often  grieved  my  heart,  as  it  denoted  so  much  hard-hearted- 
ness  among  those  that  professed  the  name  of  Christ.  I  was 
to  bring  them  off  from  all  the  world's  fellowships,  prayings 
and  singings,  which  stood  in  forms  without  power ;  that  their 
fellowship  might  be  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  eternal  Spirit  of 
God !  that  they  might  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  sing  in  the 
Spirit  and  with  the  grace  that  comes  by  Jesus ;  making  melody 
in  their  hearts  to  the  Lord,  who  hath  sent  his  beloved  Son  to 
be  their  Saviour,  caused  his  heavenly  Sun  to  shine  upon  all 
the  world,  and  through  them  all ;  and  his  heavenly  rain  to 
fall  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust,  (as  his  outward  rain  doth 
fall,  and  his  outward  sun  doth  shine  on  all)  which  is  God's 
unspeakable  love  to  the  world."  Moreover,  he  was  restrained 
from  giving  to  any,  whether  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  those 
tokens  of  reverence,  which,  having  originated  in  human  vanity 
and  pride,  were,  in  his  view,  calculated  to  nourish  the  same 
pernicious  passions.  He  could  not  "put  off  the  hat,"  nor  bow 
the  knee,  nor  use  vain  compliments  to  any,  and  when  address- 
ing a  single  person  he  was  required  to  use  the  singular 
pronoun  thou  or  thee.  This  adherence  to  ancient  scriptural 
language  rendered  him  obnoxious  to  much  opprobrium  and 


THE   HOLY   SPIRIT.  51 

abuse ;  for  all  classes,  not  even  excepting  ministers  and  pro- 
fessors of  religion,  were  influenced  by  the  love  of  worldly 
honour ;  "  they  received  honour  one  of  another,  and  sought  not 
the  honour  that  cometh  from  God  only." 

Deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  practical  right- 
eousness, which  alone  can  secure  the  happiness  of  individuals 
and  of  nations,  he  went  frequently  to  courts,  fairs,  and  other 
places  of  public  resort,  in  order  to  exhort  the  people  to  justice, 
veracity,  and  temperance.  He  warned  those  who  kept  houses 
of  entertainment  not  to  supply  their  guests  with  more  liquor 
than  would  do  them  good  ;  he  bore  a  testimony  against  wakes, 
feasts,  may-games,  and  stage  plays  ;  and  he  exhorted  teachers 
of  schools  and  heads  of  families  to  train  up  their  children  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  to  conduct  themselves  as  patterns 
of  sobriety  and  virtue. 

Being  at  Nottingham  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  he 
attended  Friends'  meeting  where  the  divine  presence  was  emi- 
nently felt  among  them ;  but  he  was  led  by  a  sense  of  duty  to 
leave  them  and  go  to  the  "steeple-house,"  or  place  of  worship 
erected  for  the  established  church.  When  he  arrived  there 
he  heard  the  priest  take  for  his  text  these  words,  "  we  have 
also  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  whereunto  ye  do  well  that 
ye  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark  place 
until  the  day  dawn  and  the  day-star  arise  in  your  hearts." 
"  This,"  the  priest  told  them,  "was  the  scriptures,  by  which 
they  were  to  try  all  doctrines,  religions,  and  opinions."  But 
George,  being  as  he  believed,  under  the  influence  of  the  Lord's 
power,  "  was  made  to  cry  out,  Oh !  no ;  it  is  not  the  scrip- 
tures ; "  and  he  told  them  it  was  the  Holy  Spirit  by  which  the 
holy  men  of  God  gave  forth  the  scriptures,  whereby  opinions, 
religions,  and  judgments  were  to  be  tried ;  for  it  led  into  all 
truth,  and  so  gave  the  knowledge  of  all  truth.  "  The  Jews 
had  the  scriptures,  yet  resisted  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  rejected 
Christ, the  bright  morning  star."  "  They  persecuted  him  and 
his  apostles,  and  took  upon  them  to  try  their  doctrines  by  the 


52  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

scriptures,  but  erred  in  judgment  and  did  not  try  them  aright ; 
because  they  tried  them  without  the  Holy  Ghost."* 

For  speaking  thus,  he  was  cast  into  a  loathsome  filthy  prison, 
but  the  word  spoken  had  taken  effect  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people,  and  among  those  convinced  were  the  head  sheriff  and 
his  family. 

He  was  invited  to  the  residence  of  the  sheriff,  whose  wife 
met  him  in  the  hall,  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  said,  "  Salva- 
tion is  come  to  our  house."  Being  lodged  at  the  house  of 
this  sheriff,  whose  name  was  John  Reckless,  George  Fox  had 
great  meetings  there,  some  persons  of  considerable  rank  at- 
tended, and  "  the  Lord's  power  appeared  eminently  amongst 
them." 

So  great  was  the  change  wrought  in  the  sheriff  that  he  sent 
for  his  colleague  in  office,  and  for  a  woman  whom  they  had 
defrauded  in  their  dealings ;  before  whom  he  confessed  the 
wrong  they  had  done  her,  but  she  knew  nothing  of  it,  and  the 
other  sheriff  denied  it.  John  Reckless  insisted  however  that 
it  was  so,  and  that  the  other  sheriff  knew  it  well  enough,  whom 
he  exhorted  to  follow  his  example  in  making  restitution.  The 
next  market-day,  as  George  Fox  and  this  friendly  sheriff  were 
walking  in  his  chamber,  the  latter  said,  "  I  must  go  into  the 
market  and  preach  repentance  to  the  people."  Accordingly 
he  went,  in  his  slippers,  through  the  market  and  along  the 
streets,  preaching  repentance.  Several  others  were  called  into 
the  same  service,  who  addressed  their  exhortations  to  the 
mayor  and  magistrates.  These  officers,  being  highly  incensed, 
sent  for  George  Fox  from  the  sheriff's  house  and  again  com- 
mitted him  to  the  common  jail.  During  his  imprisonment,  one 
of  those  who  had  been  convinced  of  his  doctrines,  went  before 
the  judicial  authorities  and  offered  to  suffer  in  his  stead, 
"body  for  body  and  life  for  life." 

The  time  of  the  assize  being  come,  he  was  ordered  to  be 
taken  before  the  judge,  but  so  dilatory  was  the  officer  in  obey- 
ing the  order  that  the  court  was  adjourned  before  he  arrived, 

*  Journal,  I.  32,  33. 


GEORGE   FOX   BEATEN.  6« 

at  which  the  judge  expressed  his  displeasure,  "  saying  he 
would  have  admonished  the  youth  if  he  had  been  brought 
before  him."  This  backwardness  in  bringing  him  to  trial, 
appears  to  have  arisen  from  a  consciousness  on  the  part  of  the 
magistrates,  that  they  had  no  legal  grounds  for  his  commit- 
ment, and  yet  they  continued  him  in  prison  some  time  longer. 

Being  at  length  released,  he  again  travelled  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  and  coming  to  Mansfield  Woodhouse,  he  vis- 
ited a  deranged  woman  whose  physician  was  endeavouring  to 
bleed  her,  but  could  get  no  blood.  George  advised  the  atten- 
dants to  unbind  her,  which  being  done,  he  spoke  to  her  in 
gospel  authority,  and  desired  her  to  be  still  and  quiet.  This 
was  so  effectual  in  calming  her  perturbed  spirit,  that  she  be- 
came convalescent.  "  Afterwards,"  he  says,  "  she  received  the 
truth,  and  continued  in  it  to  her  death,  and  the  Lord's  name 
was  honoured  to  whom  the  glory  of  all  his  works  belongs." 

While  at  Mansfield  Woodhouse,  he  went  to  the  "steeple- 
house,"  and  felt  constrained  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  preach  to 
the  priest  and  people ;  but  they  fell  upon  him  in  a  great  rage, 
and  beat  him  severely  with  their  bibles  and  sticks.  Although 
he  was  so  much  bruised  that  he  could  scarcely  walk,  they  put 
him  in  the  stocks  for  some  hours;  after  which  he  was  taken 
before  a  magistrate  at  a  Knight's  house,  where  there  were 
many  great  persons,  who,  seeing  how  cruelly  he  had  been 
treated,  set  him  at  liberty.  He  was,  however,  followed  by 
the  rude  populace,  and  because  he  "  preached  to  them  the  word 
of  life,"  they  stoned  him  out  of  town.  When  he  had  tra- 
velled about  a  mile,  he  met  with  some  persons  who  kindly  ad- 
ministered to  his  comfort,  and  he  rejoiced  in  believing,  "  that 
some  persons  had  that  day  been  convinced  of  the  Lord's  truth, 
and  turned  to  his  inward  teaching." 

From  Nottinghamshire  he  went  into  Leicestershire,  accom- 
panied by  several  Friends,  and  coming  to  Barrow  they  met  a 
company  of  Baptists,  with  whom  he  desired  to  speak  because 
they  were  separated  from  the  public  worship.  The  conver- 
sation that  ensued  is  thus  related  in  his  Journal :  "  One  of 


54  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

them  said,  what  was  not  of  faith,  was  sin.  Whereupon  I 
asked  them,  What  faith  was?  and  how  it  was  wrought  in 
man  ?  But  they  turned  off  from  that  and  spake  of  their  bap- 
tism in  water.  Then  I  asked  them,  whether  their  mountain 
of  sin  was  brought  down,  and  laid  low  in  them?  and  their 
rough  and  crooked  ways  made  smooth  and  straight  in  them  ? 
They  looked  upon  the  scriptures  as  meaning  outward  moun- 
tains and  ways  ;  but  I  told  them,  they  must  find  them  in  their 
own  hearts ;  which  they  seemed  to  wonder  at.  We  asked 
them,  who  baptized  John  the  Baptist  ?  who  baptized  Peter,  and 
John,  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles  ?  and  put  them  to  prove 
by  scripture,  that  these  were  baptized  with  water :  but  they 
were  silent.  Then  I  asked  them,  Seeing  Judas  who  betrayed 
Christ,  and  was  called  the  son  of  perdition,  had  hanged  him- 
self, what  son  of  perdition  was  that  which  Paul  spoke  of,  that 
sat  in  the  temple  of  God,  exalted  above  all  that  is  called  God  ? 
And  what  temple  of  God  that  was  in  which  the  son  of  per- 
dition sat  ?  Arid  whether  he  that  betrays  Christ  within,  in 
himself,  be  not  one  in  nature  with  that  Judas,  that  betrayed 
Christ  without  ?  But  they  could  not  tell  what  to  make  of 
this,  nor  what  to  say  to  it.  So,  after  some  discourse,  we  part- 
ed; and  some  of  them  were  loving  to  us." 

On  the  First-day  following,  George  Fox  and  his  companions 
came  to  Bagworth,  and  went  to  the  "  steeple-house,"  whither 
some  Friends  had  gone  before  them,  and  were  locked  in  with 
the  priest  and  people.  After  the  usual  service  was  over,  the 
door  was  opened,  when  George  and  the  others  went  in,  and 
were  permitted  to  preach  among  them. 

Passing  on  from  thence,  he  came  to  Coventry,  where  he 
heard  there  were  some  people  in  prison  for  religion.  As  he 
went  towards  the  jail,  his  heart  was  filled  with  a  sense  of  divine 
love,  and  holy  joy ;  but  when  he  came  to  the  place  where  the 
prisoners  were,  he  felt  the  power  of  darkness  to  prevail,  and 
on  conversing  with  them,  he  discovered  they  were  Ranters, 
who  said  they  were  Gods.  Being  grieved  with  their  sad  de- 
lusion, he  held  some  discourse  with  them,  and  reproved  them 


MEETINGS    OF    FRIENDS.  55 

sharply  for  their  blasphemous  expressions.  One  of  them 
afterwards  published  a  recantation,  and  they  were  set  at 
liberty. 

From  Coventry  he  came  to  AtHerstone,  and  it  being  their 
lecture  day,  he  went  into  the  chapel,  where  he  spoke  to  the 
priest  and  people,  who  were  generally  quiet  and  some  were 
convinced  of  his  doctrines.  He  next  came  with  some  of  his 
Friends  to  Market  Bossoth,  on  a  lecture  day,  where  he  found 
the  officiating  minister  was  his  former  pastor,  Nathaniel 
Stevens.  When  George  spoke  to  the  people,  Stevens  began 
to  rage,  and  told  them  not  to  hear  him,  for  he  was  mad,  upon 
which  they  fell  upon  the  Friends  and  stoned  them  out  of  the 
town.  In  this  instance,  however,  they  received  but  little  in- 
jury, and  were  consoled  with  the  reflection  that  a  good  im- 
pression had  been  made  on  at  least  a  few  of  the  audience,  for 
some  of  the  people  cried  out  that,  "the  priest  durst  not 
stand  to  prove  his  ministry." 

As  George  travelled  on  through  Leicestershire,  he  came  to 
Twy  Cross.  At  this  place,  being  desired  by  some  Friends  to 
visit  a  great  man,  who  lay  sick  and  was  given  over  by  his 
physicians,  he  complied  with  their  request,  and  after  preaching 
to  him  "  the  word  of  life,  he  was  moved  to  pray  by  him,  and 
the  Lord  was  entreated,  and  restored  him  to  health." 

Many  meetings  of  Friends  being  gathered  in  Leicester- 
shire, Warwickshire,  Nottinghamshire  and  Derbyshire,  George 
Fox,  in  the  year  1650,  addressed  to  them  an  epistle,  from 
which  the  following  passage  is  quoted : 

"FRIENDS:  —  The  children  of  God  are  pure  in  heart, 
not  looking  only  at  the  outside.  The  favour  of  the  world 
and  friendship  thereof  is  enmity  to  God :  man  may  soon  be 
stained  with  it.  '  Oh  !  love  the  stranger,  and  be  as  strangers 
in  the  world,  and  to  the  world  !'  For  they  that  followed 
Christ  in  his  cross,  were  strangers  in  the  world,  and  con- 
demned by  the  world ;  and  the  world  knew  him  not,  neither 
doth  it  [know]  them  that  follow  him  now.  So  marvel  not, 
if  the  world  hate  you  ;  for  the  world  lieth  in  hatred  and  wick- 


56  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

edness.  Who  love  this  world,  are  enemies  to  Christ ;  and  who 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  have  him  for  their  Lord  over 
them,  they  are  redeemed  out  of  the  world.  The  world  would 
have  a  Christ,  but  not  to  rule  over  them ;  the  nature  of  the 
world  is  above  Christ  in  man,  until  Christ  hath  subdued  that 
nature  in  man.  While  the  nature  of  the  world  doth  rule 
in  man,  Oh !  the  deaf  ears  and  blind  eyes,  and  the  under- 
standings, that  are  all  shut  up  amongst  them,  with  which  they 
judge !  But  [they]  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  do  not 
mind  the  world's  judgment,  nor  are  troubled  at  it ;  but  con- 
sider all  our  brethren,  who  have  gone  before  us."  *  *  *  * 

GEORGE  Fox.* 

Having  come  to  Derby,  he  lodged  at  a  doctor's  house, 
whose  wife  and  several  more  in  that  town  were  convinced  of 
the  principles  of  Friends.  While  walking  in  his  chamber,  the 
bell  rang,  and  on  asking  his  hostess  "what  it  rang  for,"  she 
told  him  "  there  was  to  be  a  great  lecture  that  day,  and  many 
officers  of  the  army,  priests,  and  preachers,  were  to  be  there, 
and  a  colonel  that  was  a  preacher."  From  a  persuasion  of 
duty,  George  attended  the  meeting,  and  when  the  others  had 
done,  he  spake  to  them  what  he  conceived  was  required  of 
him.  They  were  tolerably  quiet,  but  an  officer  came  to  him, 
and,  taking  him  by  the  hand,  said  that  he  and  the  two  persons 
that  were  with  him  must  go  before  the  magistrates. 

It  was  in  the  afternoon  about  one  o'clock,  when  they  came 
before  the  justices.  They  asked  him  why  he  came  thither  ? 

George  Fox  replied,  "  God  moved  me  so  to  do.  He  dwells 
not  in  temples  made  with  hands.  All  your  preaching,  bap- 
tism, and  sacrifices,  will  never  sanctify  you,  but  you  must 
look  unto  Christ  in  you,  and  not  unto  men,  for  it  is  Christ 
that  sanctifies." 

The  magistrates  seemed  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  him ; 
sometimes  thrusting  him  out  of  the  room,  and  then  calling 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  VII.  17. 


GEORGE   FOX   IMPRISONED.  57 

him  in ;  alternately  questioning  and  deriding  him,  until  nine 

o'clock  at  night. 

At  length  they  said,  with  a  view  to  entrap  him,  "  Are  you 

sanctified?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  Yes,  I  am  in  the  paradise  of  God." 

JUSTICES.     " Have  you  no  sin?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  Christ,  my  saviour,  has  taken  away  my 

sin;  and  in  him  there  is  no  sin." 

JUSTICES.     "  How  do  you  know  that  Christ  abides  in  you?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "By  his  spirit  that  he  hath  given  us." 

JUSTICES.     "Are  any  of  you  Christ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "Nay,  we  are  nothing,  Christ  is  all." 

JUSTICES.     "If  a  man  steal,  is  it  no  sin?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "All  unrighteousness  is  sin." 

From  the  last  two  questions,  it  would  seem  that  they  wished 

to  identify  him  with  the  Ranters,  whose  principles  were  no  less 

abhorrent  to  him  than  to  the  public  authorities. 

At  length,  being  wearied  with  examining  him,  they  com- 
mitted him  and  another  man  to  the  House  of  Correction  in 
Derby  for  six  months,  as  appears  by  the  following  mittimus : 

"  To  the  Master  of  the  House  of  Correction  in  Derby,  greet- 
ing :— 

"We  have  sent  you  herewith  the  bodies  of  George  Fox, 
late  of  Mansfield,  in  the  county  of  Nottingham,  and  John 
Fretwell,  late  of  Staniesby,  in  the  county  of  Derby,  husband- 
man, brought  before  us  this  present  day,  and  charged  with 
the  avowed  uttering  and  broaching  divers  blasphemous  opin- 
ions, contrary  to  the  late  act  of  Parliament;  which,  upon 
their  examination  before  us,  they  have  confessed.  These  are 
therefore  to  require  you  forthwith,  upon  sight  hereof,  to  re- 
ceive them,  the  said  George  Fox  and  John  Fretwell,  into  your 
custody,  and  them  therein  safely  to  keep  during  the  space  of 
six  months  without  bail  or  mainprize,  or  until  they  shall  find 
sufficient  security  to  be  of  good  behaviour,  or  be  thence  deliv- 
ered by  order  from  ourselves.  Hereof  you  are  not  to  fail. 


58  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  this  30th  day  of  October, 
1650.  GER.  BENNET. 

NATH.  BARTON." 

The  act  of  Parliament  referred  to  in  the  mittimus,  had  been 
passed  about  three  months  before,  and  was  evidently  intended 
to  apply  to  the  wild  and  extravagant  notions  of  the  Ranters. 
It  provides  that  "  any  persons,  not  distempered  in  their  brains, 
who  shall  maintain  any  mere  creature  to  be  God,  or  to  be  in- 
finite, almighty,  &c.,  or  shall  deny  the  holiness  of  God,  or 
shall  maintain  that  all  acts  of  wickedness  or  unrighteousness 
are  not  forbidden  in  Holy  Scripture,  or  that  God  approves 
them,  *  *  *  shall  suffer  six  months  imprisonment  for 
the  first  offence ;  and  for  the  second,  be  banished,  and  if  they 
return  without  license,  shall  be  treated  as  felons."  * 

The  opinions  or  doctrines  recited  in  this  act  bear  no  resem- 
blance whatever  to  those  of  George  Fox ;  similar  pretensions 
had  been  severely  censured  by  him  at  Coventry,  and  there 
was  nothing  in  his  answers  before  the  magistrates  to  justify 
them  in  the  course  they  pursued.  Moreover,  when  we  take 
into  view  that  both  of  them  were  Independents,  whose  tenets 
admitted  of  no  interference  of  the  civil  power  in  spiritual 
concerns,  and  that  one  of  them  (Barton)  was  a  preacher  and 
a  colonel,  who  probably  had  no  regular  ordination,  and  claimed 
a  spiritual  gift  as  his  qualification  for  the  ministry,  it  is  abun- 
dantly manifest  that  their  proceedings  were  inconsistent  with 
their  own  professions,  as  well  as  illegal  and  arbitrary. 

John  Fretwell,  who  was  committed  with  George  Fox,  did 
not  remain  faithful  to  his  testimony.  He  found  means  through 
the  jailor,  to  obtain  leave  from  one  of  the  justices  to  go  and 
see  his  mother,  and  thus  gained  his  liberty. 

Soon  after  the  imprisonment  of  George  Fox,  he  wrote  to 
the  priests  and  magistrates  of  Derby.  To  the  former  he  said, 
"  I  was  sent  to  tell  you  that  if  you  had  received  the  gospel 
freely,  you  would  administer  it  freely  without  money  and 

*  Gough,  1. 91. 


EPISTLE   TO   FRIENDS.  59 

without  price,  but  you  make  a  trade  and  sale  of  what  the 
prophets  and  apostles  have  spoken ;  and  so  you  corrupt  the 
truth.  "You  are  the  men  that  lead  silly  women  captive,  who 
are  ever  learning  and  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth :  you  .have  the  form  of  godliness,  but  you  deny  the 
power." 

To  the  two  magistrates  who  committed  him,  he  wrote  to  this 
effect : 

"  Friends : — I  am  forced,  in  tender  love  to  your  souls,  to 
write  •  unto  you,  and  to  beseech  you  to  consider  what  you  do, 
and  what  the  commands  of  God  call  for.  He  doth  require 
justice  and  mercy,  to  break  every  yoke,  and  to  let  the 
oppressed  go  free.  But  who  calleth  for  justice?  or  loveth 
mercy  ?  or  contendeth  for  the  truth  ?  Is  not  judgment  turned 
backward  ?  Doth  not  justice  stand  afar  off?  Is  not  truth 
silenced  in  the  streets  ?  or  can  equity  enter  ?  Do  not  they 
that  depart  from  evil  make  themselves  a  prey  ? 

"  Oh !  consider  what  ye  do  in  time,  and  take  heed  whom 
ye  imprison  ;  for  the  magistrate  is  set  for  the  punishment  of 
evil  doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well.  I  entreat 
you,  in  time?  take  heed  what  you  do  :  for  surely  the  Lord  will 
come,  and  make  manifest  both  the  builders  and  the  work.  If 
it  be  of  man,  it  will  fail;  but  if  it  be  of  God,  nothing  will 
overthrow  it.  Therefore  I  desire  and  pray  that  you  would 
take  heed  and  beware  what  you  do,  lest  ye  be  found  fighters 
against  God. 

GEORGE  Fox." 


60  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Preaching  of  George  Fox  in  steeple-houses  considered — His  letter  to 
Col.  Barton — To  the  Mayor  of  Derby  concerning  oaths — Conversa- 
tion on  perfection — The  jailor  convinced — Epistle  of  George  Fox  to 
Friends — Is  visited  by  his  relations — Refuses  to  give  bond  for  good 
behaviour — Abused  by  the  magistrates,  and  remanded  to  prison — 
His  letter  to  the  justice  and  to  the  priests — A  trooper  convinced — 
George  Fox  refuses  a  captaincy — Is  put  in  jail  among  the  felons — 
Letter  to  the  judges  on  the  penal  laws — Epistle  to  Friends. 

1650—'!. 

THE  practice  of  George  Fox,  and  others  among  the  primi- 
tive Friends,  of  speaking  occasionally  fa  houses  of  worship 
erected  for  the  established  Church,  having  heen  censured  by 
some  modern  writers,  appears  to  demand  an  attentive  consid- 
eration. It  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  though  it  had  been  a 
practice  peculiar  to  Friends,  and  by  some  has  been  adduced 
as  an  evidence  of  fanaticism.  This,  however,  is  a  misappre- 
hension, arising  from  the  application  of  modern  standards  in 
attempting  to  judge  of  the  actions  of  a  former  generation, 
who  were  placed  in  circumstances  widely  different  from  ours. 

The  steeple-houses,  as  they  were  then  very  frequently 
called,  were  the  property  of  the  nation ;  they  had  been  gener- 
ally built  with  the  common  funds,  and  the  whole  population 
had  a  right,  and  were  indeed  required  by  law,  to  attend  them. 
Prior  to  the  downfall  of  the  Anglican  church,  her  clergy  alone 
had  a  legal  warrant  to  officiate  in  them  as  ministers.  But 
"the  solemn  league  and  covenant,"  adopted  by  Parliament  in 
1643,  subverted  the  Episcopal  hierarchy,  and  in  the  following 
year  the  Directory,  or  Presbyterian  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, was  established  by  law,  but  not  generally  executed. 
Indeed,  it  appears  to  have  been  carried  into  practice  in  only  two 
or  three  counties,*  and  thus  in  the  greater  part  of  the  kingdom 

*Neal,  II.  26. 


COMMON   USE    OF   CHURCHES.  61 

the  people  were  left  free  to  choose  their  own  religious  teachers 
and  form  of  worship. 

It  was  a  period  of  intense  public  excitement.  For  many 
years,  the  most  momentous  questions  of  religion  and  govern- 
ment were  earnestly  discussed,  not  only  in  Parliament  and  in 
the  Westminster  Assembly,  but  throughout  the  nation:  —  in 
the  pulpit,  and  at  the  bar ;  in  the  martial  camp,  and  at  the 
domestic  hearth.  The  pulpits  were  no  longer  reserved  for  the 
priesthood ;  laymen,  claiming  a  divine  call,  were  admitted  into 
them,  and  the  officers  of  the  Parliament  army,  after  exhorting 
their  soldiers  in  the  camp,  entered  the  "steeple-house"  and 
assumed  the  functions  of  the  ministry. 

After  the  execution  of  the  king,  in  the  year  1649,  the  In- 
dependents gained  the  ascendency  by  means  of  the  army,  and 
through  the  abilities  of  Cromwell.  One  of  the  tenets  of  this 
sect  was  that  "  any  gifted  brother,  if  he  find  himself  qualified 
thereto,  may  instruct,  exhort,  and  preach  in  the  church."  The 
same  year  that  George  Fox  was  imprisoned  at  Derby,  Crom- 
well at  the  head  of  a  victorious  army,  asserted  this  doctrine  in 
Scotland.  The  Presbyterian  ministers  at  Edinburg,  having 
objected  to  his  "opening  the  pulpit  doors  to  all  intruders," 
he  gave  this  decisive  and  memorable  reply  : 

"  We  look  on  ministers  as  helpers  of,  not  lords  over,  the 
faith  of  God's  people :  I  appeal  to  the  consciences,  whether 
any  denying  of  their  doctrines,  or  dissenting  from  them,  will 
not  incur  the  censure  of  a  sectary;  and  what  is  this  but  to 
deny  Christians  their  liberty,  and  assume  the  infallible  chair  ? 
Where  do  you  find  in  scripture  that  preaching  is  included 
[restricted]  within  your  function?  Though  an  approbation 
from  men  has  order  in  it,  and  may  be  well,  yet  he  that  hath 
not  a  better  than  that,  hath  none  at  all. 

"  I  hope  he  that  ascended  upon  high  may  give  his  gifts  to 
whom  he  pleases ;  and  if  those  gifts  be  the  seal  of  mission, 
are  not  you  envious,  though  Eldad  and  Medad  prophesy  ? 
You  know  who  has  bid  us  covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts,  but 
chiefly  that  we  may  prophesy ;  which  the  apostle  explains  to 


62  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

be  a  speaking  to  instruction,  edification  and  comfort,  which 
the  instructed,  edified,  and  comforted,  can  best  tell  the  energy 
and  effect  of. 

"  Now  if  this  be  evidence,  take  heed  you  envy  not  for  your 
own  sakes,  lest  you  be  guilty  of  a  greater  fault  than  Moses 
reproved  in  Joshua  when  he  envied  for  his  sake.  Indeed  you 
err  through  mistake  of  the  scriptures.  Approbation  is  an  act 
of  convenience  in  respect  of  order,  not  of  necessity,  to  give 
faculty  to  preach  the  gospel. 

"  Your  pretended  fear  lest  error  should  step  in,  is  like  the 
man  that  would  keep  all  the  wine  out  of  the  country,  lest  men 
should  be  drunk.  It  will  be  found  an  unjust  and  an  unwise 
jealousy  to  deny  a  man  the  liberty  he  hath  by  nature,  upon  a 
supposition  he  may  abuse  it.  When  he  doth  abuse  it  then 
judge."* 

"In  1653  the  Parliament  actually  took  into  consideration 
the  abolition  of  the  clerical  functions,  as  savoring  of  popery, 
and  the  taking  away  of  tithes,  which  many  of  the  members 
called  a  relic  of  Judaism. 

"  The  Presbyterians  were  decidedly  opposed  to  these  views, 
but  so  strong  was  the  feeling  against  the  application  of  tithes 
for  the  clergy,  that  in  a  house  of  111  members,  43  voted 
against  such  appropriation,  although  Cromwell  in  this  instance 
threw  the  weight  of  his  influence  on  the  Presbyterian  side."  f 

Soon  after  this,  it  appears  that  Independent  and  Presby- 
terian ministers,  and  even  some  Baptist  preachers,  "had  got 
into  the  steeple-houses,"  and  claimed  the  benefices  attached 
to  them.  | 

During  this  unsettled  period,  it  was  not  unusual  for  persons 
to  propound  theological  questions  to  the  minister  during  the 
time  of  divine  service  or  after  the  sermon,  and  this  practice 
led  to  religious  disputes.  Such  was  the  case  in  the  meeting 
at  Leicester  in  1648.  In  that  instance  the  assembly  met  in 

*  Neal,  II.  116.    Whitelock,  p.  458. 
fBowden's  Hist,  of  Friends  in  America. 
J  George  Fox's  Journal,  year  1655. 


HIS   TEACHINGS   IN   PUBLIC.  63 

the  parish  house  of  worship,  and  was  composed  of  four  different 
sects,  met  for  the  purpose  of  religious  disputation. 

It  is  stated  in  a  memoir  of  John  Audland  who  was  convinced 
of  Friends'  principles  in  1652,  that  before  his  convincement, 
while  yet  a  preacher  among  the  Independents,  he  sometimes 
went  to  the  chapels  and  parish  houses  of  worship,  where  there 
were  idle  or  dissolute  priests,  and  though  a  dissenter,  publicly 
preached  to  the  auditory,  which  was  often  very  large. 

From  these  facts  it  is  manifest  that  the  primitive  Friends, 
who  occasionally  spoke  in  the  national  places  of  worship,  did 
no  more  than  other  dissenters  were  accustomed  to  do,  and  we 
may  reasonably  conclude  that  all  religious  persuasions  might 
have  claimed  a  right  of  common  property  in  the  steeple-houses, 
after  the  subversion  of  the  Anglican  Church,  until  it  was  re- 
established at  the  accession  of  Charles  II.* 

We  shall  find,  as  we  proceed  in  the  biography  of  George 
Fox,  that  his  ministry  in  such  places  was  often  acceptable  to 
the  people,  and  even  the  priests  sometimes  offered  him  the 
pulpit.  It  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  he  interrupted  the 
ministers  while  they  were  preaching,  but  this  was  seldom,  if 
ever,  his  practice.  He  waited  until  they  had  done,  and  then 
declared  boldly  the  doctrines  he  felt  bound  to  deliver ;  which 
being  frequently  directed  against  the  mercenary  character 
of  the  priests,  called  down  upon  him  their  utmost  vengeance. 

His  imprisonment  at  Derby  was  not  for  disturbing  a  reli- 
gious meeting  ;  the  offence  stated  in  the  mittimus  was  a  charge 
of  "uttering  and  broaching  divers  blasphemous  opinions," 
which  the  magistrates  alleged  he  had  confessed  before  them. 
His  religious  opinions  avowed  on  that  occasion,  having  been 
stated  in  the  preceding  chapter,  we  have  seen  that,  so  far 
from  being  blasphemous,  they  were  in  strict  accordance  with 
the  scriptures  of  truth,  and  the  experience  of  good  men 
in  every  age  of  the  church.  While  in  prison  he  wrote  as 

*  There  were  numerous  other  religious  meetings  held  in  those  times, 
but  into  none  of  these  did  Friends  obtrude  themselves :  Bowden's  Hist. 
1.80. 


64  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

follows  to  Colonel  Barton,  one  of  the  magistrates  who  com- 
mitted him: 


"  Friend : — Thou  that  preachest  Christ  and  the  scriptures 
in  words.  When  any  came  to  follow  that  which  thou  hast 
spoken  of,  and  to  live  the  life  of  the  scriptures,  those  that 
preach  the  scriptures,  but  do  not  lead  their  lives  according 
thereunto,  persecute  them.  Mind  the  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  and  all  the  holy  men  of  God;  what  they 
spoke  was  from  the  life :  but  they  that  had  not  the  life,  but 
the  words,  persecuted  and  imprisoned  them  that  lived  in  the 
life,  which  those  had  backslidden  from. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

He  wrote  also  to  the  Mayor  of  Derby  and  to  the  court 
which  met  there,  stating  that  "  drunkenness,  swearing,  pride 
and  vanity,  ruled  among  them,  both  in  teacher  and  people," 
and  admonishing  them  "to  take  heed  of  oppressing  the  poor, 
and  of  imposing  false  oaths  upon  the  people,  or  making  them 
take  oaths  which  they  could  not  perform." 

This  admonition  was  remarkably  pertinent  to  the  times,  and 
applicable  to  all  the  public  authorities  of  Great  Britain. 

Changes  in  the  government  had  within  a  few  years  been 
frequent  and  radical ;  yet  at  every  change  the  people  were 
required  to  take  oaths  of  allegiance  inconsistent  with  their 
previous  engagements.  First,  they  had  sworn  allegiance  to 
the  King,  as  their  sovereign,  and  supreme  head  of  the  Ang- 
lican Church :  Secondly,  they  had  sworn  to  the  solemn  league 
and  covenant,  in  which  they  bound  themselves  to  the  extirpa- 
tion of  prelacy,  that  is  church  government  by  archbishops, 
bishops,  &c. :  Thirdly,  they  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  Commonwealth  of  England,  as  it  was  then  "  established 
without  a  King  or  House  of  Lords."  And  a  few  years  later 
they  took  an  oath  to  Cromwell  as  the  Lord  Protector. 

The  ill  effects  of  these  oaths  upon  the  public  morals  were 
set  forth  in  a  pamphlet,  written  by  a  member  of  parliament, 


HIS   CONVERSATION   WITH   PROFESSORS.  65 

one  of  the  most  voluminous  writers  of  that  day.  The  title 
of  this  singular  work  may  aid  in  illustrating  the  state  of  the 
times,  and  is  therefore  subjoined :  viz.  "  Concordia,  Discors, 
or  the  Dissonant  harmony  of  sacred  Puhlique  oaths,  protes- 
tations, leagues,  covenants,  ingagements,  lately  taken  by  many 
time-serving  saints,  officers  without  scruple  of  conscience, 
making  a  very  unpleasant  consort,  in  the  ears  of  our  most 
faithful  oath-performing,  covenant-keeping  God,  and  all  loyal 
consciencious  subjects,  sufficient  to  create  a  doleful  Hell,  and 
tormenting  horror  in  the  awakened  conscience  of  all  those, 
who  have  taken  and  violated  them  too,  successively,  without 
any  fear  of  God,  men,  devils,  or  hell."  By  William  Prynne, 
Esq.,  Bachelor  of  Lincoln's  Inne,  1659." 

During  the  imprisonment  of  George  Fox  at  Derby,  many 
professors  of  religion  came  to  converse  with  him.  Some  of 
these  asserted  that  sin  and  imperfection  must  continue  during 
the  whole  of  this  life.  George  asked  them  "whether  they 
were  believers  and  had  faith?  and  in  whom?"  They  an- 
swered, "yes,  they  had  faith  in  Christ."  He  replied,  "If  ye 
are  true  believers  in  Christ,  you  are  passed  from  death  to  life, 
and  if  passed  from  death,  then  from  sin  that  bringeth  death : 
and  if  your  faith  be  true,  it  will  give  you  victory  over  sin  and 
the  devil,  purify  your  hearts  and  consciences,  (for  the  true 
faith  is  held  in  a  pure  conscience)  and  bring  you  to  please 
God  and  give  you  access  to  him  again."  But  they  could  not 
endure  to  hear  of  purity  and  victory  over  sin  and  the  devil. 
He  then  queried  "whether  they  had  hope?"  They  said, 
"yes,  God  forbid  but  we  should  have  hope."  He  asked  then, 
"what  hope  is  that  you  have  ?  Is  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of 
glory?  Does  it  purify  you  as  he  is  pure?"  But  they  could 
not  receive  this  doctrine,  and  he  bade  them  "  forbear  talking 
of  the  scriptures  which  were  the  holy  men's  words,  for  the 
holy  men  who  wrote  the  scriptures,  pleaded  for  holiness  in 
heart,  life  and  conversation  here ;  but  since  you  plead  for  im- 
purity and  sin  which  is  of  the  devil,  what  have  you  to  do 
with  the  holy  men's  words  ?" 
5 


66  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

One  day  as  he  was  walking  in  his  chamber,  he  heard  a 
doleful  noise  in  the  adjoining  apartment,  and  standing  still,  he 
heard  the  jailor  say :  "  Wife,  I  have  seen  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, and  I  saw  George  there,  and  I  was  afraid  of  him  ;  I 
had  done  him  so  much  wrong,  and  spoken  so  much  against 
him  to  the  ministers  and  professors,  and  to  the  justices,  and  in 
taverns  and  ale-houses."  This  jailor,  who  was  a  high  pro- 
fessor of  religion,  being  now  under  strong  convictions  for  the 
wrong  he  had  done,  came  in  the  evening  to  his  prisoner  and 
said,  "  I  have  been  as  a  lion  against  you,  but  now  I  come  like 
a  lamb,  and  like  the  jailer  that  came  to  Paul  and  Silas  trem- 
bling." He  asked  permission  of  George  to  lodge  with  him, 
to  which  the  latter  replied.  "  I  am  in  thy  power,  thou  canst 
do  what  thou  wilt."  "Nay,"  said  he,  "I  would  have  your 
leave,  and  I  could  desire  to  be  always  with  you,  but  not  to 
have  you  as  a  prisoner,  for  I  and  my  house  have  been  plagued 
for  your  sake."  "  So  I  suffered  him,"  he  writes  in  his  Jour- 
nal, "  to  lodge  with  me."  "  Then  he  told  me  all  his  heart, 
and  said  he  believed  what  I  had  said  of  the  true  faith  and 
hope  to  be  true;  and  he  wondered  that  the  other  man  who  was 
put  in  prison  with  me  did  not  stand  to  it ;  and  said  '  that  man 
was  not  right,  but  I  was  an  honest  man.'  He  confessed 
also  to  me,  that  at  those  times  when  I  had  asked  him  to  let 
me  go  forth  to  speak  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  the  people, 
when  he  refused  to  let  me  go,  and  I  laid  the  weight  thereof 
upon  him,  that  he  used  to  be  under  great  trouble,  amazed,  and 
almost  distracted  for  some  time  after,  and  in  such  a  condition 
that  he  had  little  strength  left  him.  When  the  morning 
came  he  arose,  and  soon  after  went  to  the  justices,  and  told 
them,  'that  he  and  his  house  had  been  plagued  for  my  sake.' 
One  of  the  justices  replied  (as  he  reported  to  me)  that  the 
plagues  were  upon  them  too,  for  keeping  me.  This  was  jus- 
tice Bennet  of  Derby,  who  was  the  first  that  called  us 
Quakers,  because  I  bid  him  tremble  at  the  word  of  the  Lord. 
This  was  in  the  year  1650." 

After  this  interview  with  the  jailor,  the  justices  gave  per- 


GEORGE   FOX   IN   PRISON.  67 

mission  for  George  to  walk  a  mile,  but  he,  perceiving  their 
intention  that  he  should  make  his  escape  clandestinely,  replied, 
that  he  might  sometimes  take  the  liberty  of  walking,  if  they 
would  prescribe  to  him  exactly  how  far  a  mile  extended.  The 
jailor  then  confessed  that  their  intention  was  to  get  rid  of 
him  by  this  means,  but  he  told  them  "  he  was  not  of  that 
spirit." 

He  was  sometimes  visited  by  the  jailer's  sister,  a  young 
woman  in  ill  health.  He  spoke  to  her  concerning  the  truths 
of  religion,  which  so  affected  her,  that  she  acknowledged  "  he 
and  his  friends  were  an  innocent  people,  and  did  none  any 
hurt,  but  did  good  to  all,  even  to  those  who  hated  them," 
and  she  desired  that  they  might  be  treated  with  kindness. 

Being  restrained  from  the  privilege  of  visiting  the  meetings 
of  Friends,  he  addressed  them  an  epistle,  from  which  the  fol- 
lowing passages  are  quoted : 

"The  Lord  doth  show  unto  man  his  thoughts,  and  discover- 
eth  all  the  secret  workings  in  man. 

"A  man  may  be  brought  to  see  his  evil  thoughts,  running 
mind,  and  vain  imaginations,  and  may  strive  to  keep  them 
down,  and  to  keep  his  mind  in ;  but  cannot  overcome  them, 
nor  keep  his  mind  within  to  the  Lord.  In  this  state  and  con- 
dition submit  to  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  that  shows  them,  and 
that  will  bring  to  wait  upon  the  Lord ;  and  he  that  hath  dis- 
covered them  will  destroy  them.  Therefore  stand  in  the  faith 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (who  is  the  author  of  the  true  faith,) 
and  mind  him ;  for  he  will  discover  the  root  of  lusts,  evil 
thoughts,  and  vain  imaginations ;  how  they  are  begotten,  con- 
ceived and  bred,  and  how  they  are  brought  forth,  and  how 
every  evil  member  doth  work.  He  will  discover  every  prin- 
ciple from  its  own  nature  and  root."  *  *  *  "For  there 
is  peace  in  resting  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  is  the  narrow 
way  that  leads  to  him,  the  life ;  but  few  will  abide  in  it.  Keep 
in  the  innocency,  and  be  obedient  to  the  faith  in  him.  Take 
heed  of  conforming  to  the  world,  and  of  reasoning  with  flesh 


68  LIFE   OF   GEOEGE   FOX. 

and  blood,  for  that  bringeth  disobedience ;  and  then  imagina- 
tions and  questionings  arise  to  draw  from  obedience  to  the 
truth  of  Christ.  But  the  obedience  of  faith  destroyeth  ima- 
ginations, questionings,  and  reasonings,  with  all  the  tempta- 
tions in  the  flesh,  buffetings,  lookings  forth,  and  fetching  up 
things  that  are  past.  But,  not  keeping  in  the  life  and  light, 
not  crossing  the  corrupt  will  by  the  power  of  God,  the  evil 
nature  grows  up  in  man;  then  burdens  will  come  and  man 
will  be  stained  with  that  nature. 

"  But  Esau's  mountain  shall  be  laid  waste,  and  become  a 
wilderness,  where  the  dragons  lie ;  but  Jacob,  the  second  birth, 
shall  be  fruitful,  and  shall  arise.  For  Esau  is  hated,  and 
must  not  be  lord ;  but  Jacob,  the  second  birth,  which  is  per- 
fect and  plain,  shall  be  lord ;  for  he  is  beloved  of  God. 

"  GEORGE  Fox."  * 

About  the  same  time  he  wrote  as  follows  to  those  who  were 
convinced  of  Friends'  principles : 

"  The  Lord  is  king  over  all  the  earth  ! — therefore  all  people 
praise  and  glorify  your  king  in  true  obedience,  in  uprightness, 
and  in  the  beauty  of  holiness.  Oh !  consider,  in  true  obedi- 
ence, the  Lord  is  known,  and  an  understanding  from  him  is 
received.  Mark,  and  consider  in  silence,  in  lowliness  of  mind, 
and  thou  wilt  hear  the  Lord  speak  unto  thee  in  thy  mind. 
His  voice  is  sweet  and  pleasant ;  his  sheep  hear  his  voice, 
and  will  not  hearken  to  another.  When  they  hear  his  voice, 
they  rejoice  and  are  obedient ;  they  also  sing  for  joy.  Oh, 
their  hearts  are  filled  with  everlasting  triumph  !  they  sing,  and 
praise  the  eternal  God  in  Zion.  Their  joy,  man  shall  never 
take  from  them.  Glory  to  the  Lord  God  for  evermore ! 

GEORGE  Fox."f 

While  he  was  in  the  house  of  correction  in  Derby,  his  rela- 
tives came  to  see  him,  and  being  grieved  on  account  of  his 

*  Fox's  Journal,  I.  47-49.  t  Ibid,  51. 


HIS  LETTERS.  69 

imprisonment,  they  went  to  the  justices  by  whom  he  was  com- 
mitted, and  desired  to  have  him  at  home  with  them,  offering 
to  be  bound  as  sureties  in  the  sum  of  .£100 ;  and  others,  in 
Derby,  for  £50  each,  "  that  he  should  come  no  more  thither 
to  declare  against  the  priests." 

Being  brought  before  the  magistrates  for  this  purpose,  he 
declined  entering  into  such  a  recognizance  "  for  his  good  be- 
haviour," or  having  others  bound  for  him,  because  he  con- 
ceived it  "would  be  a  blemish  upon  his  innocency." 

Justice  Bennet,  hearing  this,  rose  up  in  a  great  rage,  and 
while  George  knelt  down  to  pray  the  Lord  to  forgive  them, 
the  justice  struck  him  with  both  his  hands,  crying,  "Away 
with  him,  jailor ;  take  him  away,  jailor."  He  was  then 
remanded  to  prison,  where  he  remained  until  the  expiration 
of  the  six  months  for  which  he  was  committed. 

Having  permission  to  walk  a  mile  by  himself,  he  occasion- 
ally accepted  the  privilege.  Sometimes  he  went  into  the 
markets  and  streets,  preaching  repentance  to  the  people,  and 
then  returned  to  his  prison  again.  He  frequently  wrote  to 
the  justices,  expostulating  with  them  for  their  cruelty. 

One  of  his  letters  is  here  subjoined : 

"  FRIENDS  :  — Would  you  have  me  bound  to  my  good  beha- 
viour, from  drunkenness,  or  swearing,  or  fighting,  or  adultery, 
and  the  like  ?  The  Lord  hath  redeemed  me  from  all  these 
things ;  and  the  love  of  God  hath  brought  me  to  loathe  all 
wantonness,  blessed  be  his  name !  Drunkards,  fighters,  and 
swearers  have  their  liberty  without  bonds ;  and  you  lay  your 
laws  upon  me,  whom  neither  you  nor  any  other  can  justly 
accuse  of  these  things,  praised  be  the  Lord !  I  can  look  at 
no  man  for  my  liberty,  but  at  the  Lord  alone,  who  hath  all 
men's  hearts  in  his  hands. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

To  the  priests  of  Derby  he  wrote  as  follows  : 

"FRIENDS: — You  profess  to  be  the  ministers  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  words,  but  you  show  by  your  fruits  what  your 
ministry  is. 


70  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

Every  tree  shows  its  fruit :  the  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ  is 
in  mercy  and  love,  to  loose  them  that  are  bound,  to  bring  out 
of  bondage  and  to  let  them  that  are  captivated  go  free.  Now, 
friends,  where  is  your  example,  if  the  scriptures  be  your  rule, 
to  imprison  for  religion  ?  Have  you  any  command  for  it  from 
Christ  ?  If  that  were  in  you,  which  you  profess,  you  would 
walk  in  their  steps  who  spake  the  scriptures.  But  he  is  not 
a  Jew  who  is  one  outward,  whose  praise  is  of  men ;  but  he  is 
a  Jew  who  is  one  inward,  whose  praise  is  of  God. 

But  if  you  build  upon  the  prophets  and  apostles  in  words, 
and  pervert  their  life,  remember  the  words  which  Jesus  Christ 
spake  against  such.  They  that  spoke  the  prophet 'swords  but 
denied  Christ,  they  professed  a  Christ  to  come,  but  had  they 
known  him  they  would  not  have  crucified  him.  The  saints  whom 
the  love  of  God  did  change,  were  brought  thereby  to  walk  in 
love  and  mercy ;  for  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God. 
But  where  envy,  pride,  and  hatred  rule,  the  nature  of  the  world 
rules,  not  the  nature  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  write  with  no  hatred 
to  you,  but  that  you  may  weigh  yourselves,  and  see  how  you 
pass  your  time. 

GEOKGE  Fox." 

About  this  time  he  was  visited  in  prison  by  a  trooper,  who 
stated  that  while  he  was  seated  in  the  steeple-house  hearing 
the  priest,  great  trouble  fell  upon  him,  and  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  came  to  him, saying, "Dost  thou  not  know  that  my  ser- 
vant is  in  prison?  Go  to  him  for  direction."  George  then 
spoke  to  his  condition,  directing  his  attention  to  that  inward 
power  which  shows  man  his  sins,  and  will,  if  obeyed,  take  them 
away.  The  trooper  was  convinced  of  this  doctrine,  and  ad- 
vanced it  boldly  in  his  quarters  among  the  soldiers.  He  said 
"  his  colonel  was  as  blind  as  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  cast  the  Lord's 
servant  into  prison." 

Upon  this  the  Colonel  conceived  a  dislike  to  him,  and  at 
the  battle  of  Worcester,  assigned  him  a  post  of  great  danger. 
Two  soldiers  from  the  royal  army,  having  challenged  any  two 


HE   REFUSES   A   CAPTAINCY.  71 

of  the  Parliament  army  to  fight  with  them,  this  trooper,  with 
another,  was  sent  to  meet  them,  and  when,  in  the  encounter, 
his  companion  was  slain,  he  drove  both  his  enemies  within 
musket-shot  of  the  town  without  firing  a  pistol  at  them. 

This  he  related  to  George  Fox  when  he  returned,  but  "being 
sensible  how  wonderfully  the  Lord  had  preserved  him,  and 
seeing  also  the  end  of  fighting,  he  laid  down  his  arms." 

A  body  of  fresh  troops  being  raised  for  the  Parliament  army, 
George  Fox,  whose  term  of  imprisonment  was  nearly  expired, 
was  offered  the  captaincy  over  them ;  for  the  soldiers  insisted 
on  the  command  being  assigned  to  him,  saying  they  would 
serve  under  no  other.  He  was  therefore  taken  before  the 
commissioners  and  soldiers  in  the  market-place,  where  they 
offered  him  that  preferment  and  asked  him  "if  he  would  not 
take  up  arms  for  the  commonwealth  against  Charles  Stuart?" 

He  answered,"!  know  from  whence  all  wars  arise,  even 
from  the  lusts,  according  to  James's  doctrine,  but  I  live  in  the 
virtue  of  that  life  and  power  which  takes  away  the  occasion 
of  war." 

Being  further  importuned  to  accept  the  offer,  he  added,  "  I 
am  come  into  the  covenant  of  peace  which  was  before  all  wars 
and  strifes." 

They  said  the  offer  was  made  in  love  and  kindness  to  him, 
but  he  replied,  "  If  this  is  your  love  and  kindness,  I  trample 
it  under  my  feet." 

The  commissioners,  being  exasperated  at  his  refusal,  said, 
"  Take  him  away,  jailor,  and  put  him  into  the  prison  among 
the  rogues  and  felons."  This  cruel  and  illegal  command  being 
put  into  execution,  he  was  confined  among  thirty  felons,  in 
a  prison  rendered  loathsome  by  filth  and  vermin,  where  he 
was  kept  nearly  half  a  year. 

While  in  this  dismal  place,  he  was  again  visited  by  his 
relatives,  who  were  concerned  for  him,  and  anxious  for  his 
release.  Among  others  who  came  to  see  him  was  a  soldier 
from  Nottingham,  who  had  been  a  Baptist.  This  person  said 
to  him,  "  Your  faith  stands  in  a  man  that  died  at  Jerusalem, 


72  LIFE   OF  GEORGE  FOX. 

and  there  never  was  any  such  thing."  George  being  exceed- 
ingly grieved,  said,  "  How !  did  not  Christ  suffer  without  the 
gates  of  Jerusalem,  through  the  professing  Jews,  chief  priests, 
and  Pilate  ?"  He  denied  that  Christ  ever  suffered  there  out- 
wardly. George  asked  him,  "  Whether  there  were  not  chief 
priests,  and  Jews,  and  Pilate  there  outwardly?"  This  not 
being  denied,  he  added,  "  As  certainly  as  a  chief  priest,  and 
Jews,  and  Pilate  were  there  outwardly,  so  certainly  was  Christ 
persecuted  by  them,  and  did  suffer  there  outwardly  under 
them."  Yet  from  this  conversation  a  slander  was  raised,  that 
the  Quakers  denied  Christ  having  suffered  and  died  at  Jerusa- 
lem. 

In  this  time  of  his  imprisonment,  his  mind  was  painfully 
exercised  concerning  the  practice  of  putting  men  to  death  for 
larceny,  under  the  penal  code  of  England  then  in  force.  On 
this  important  subject  he  addressed  the  judges  in  the  following 
letter : 

"  I  am  moved  to  write  unto  you,  to  take  heed  of  putting 
men  to  death  for  stealing  cattle  or  money,  &c.,  for  thieves  in 
old  time  were  to  make  restitution,  and  if  they  had  not  where- 
with, they  were  to  be  sold  for  their  theft.  Mind  the  laws  of 
God  in  the  scriptures,  and  the  spirit  that  gave  them  forth ;  let 
them  be  your  rule  in  exercising  judgment ;  and  show  mercy, 
that  you  may  receive  mercy  from  God,  the  judge  of  all.  Take 
heed  of  gifts  and  rewards,  and  of  pride ;  for  God  doth  forbid 
them,  and  they  blind  the  eyes  of  the  wise.  I  do  not  write  to 
give  liberty  to  sin,  God  hath  forbidden  it ;  but  that  you  should 
judge  according  to  his  laws,  and  show  mercy ;  for  he  delight- 
eth  in  true  judgment,  and  in  mercy.  I  beseech  you  mind 
these  things,  prize  your  time,  now  you  have  it ;  fear  God  and 
serve  him,  for  he  is  a  consuming  fire. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

Moreover,  he  "  laid  before  the  judges  what  an  hurtful  thing 
it  was  that  prisoners  should  lie  so  long  in  jail,  showing  how 
they  learned  wickedness  one  of  another,  in  talking  of  their 


HE   AGAIN  REFUSES   TO   TAKE   ARMS.  73 

bad  deeds;  therefore,  speedy  justice  should  be  done."  These 
remarks,  and  his  letter  to  the  judges,  are  worthy  of  note,  as 
the  germ  of  that  religious  concern  for  prisoners  and  criminals, 
which,  originating  with  George  Fox  and  the  primitive  Friends, 
has  grown  and  spread  its  influence  over  other  minds,  until, 
through  the  divine  blessing,  a  melioration  of  the  penal  code, 
and  a  more  humane  treatment  of  criminals,  has  ensued 
throughout  a  large  part  of  Christendom. 

There  was  then  in  the  jail  at  Derby,  a  young  woman  in- 
dicted for  robbing  her  master.  When  her  trial  came  on, 
'George  Fox  wrote  to  the  judges,  showing  them  "  how  contrary 
it  was  to  the  law  of  God  in  old  time  to  put  people  to  death 
for  stealing,"  and  entreating  them  to  show  her  mercy.  Yet 
she  was  condemned  to  die,  and  a  day  was  appointed  for  her 
execution.  George  then  wrote  a  paper,  to  be  read  at  the 
gallows,  exhorting  the  people  to  prize  their  time,  and  to  be- 
ware of  covetousness,  which  leads  the  soul  away  from  God. 
When  she  was  ready  to  be  turned  off,  a  pardon  was  received, 
and  she  was  remanded  to  prison,  where  she  became  convinced, 
and  yielded  to  the  influence  of  vital  religion. 

While  George  Fox  lay  in 'jail,  Justice  Bennet  made  another 
effort  to  place  him  in  the  army  of  Parliament,  and  having 
found  that  he  would  not  accept  a  command,  sent  constables  to 
press  him  into  the  service  for  a  soldier.  George  told  them,  he 
"was  brought  off  from  outward  wars."  They  offered  him 
press-money  repeatedly,  but  he  declined.  They  then  brought 
him  again  before  the  commissioners,  but  he  still  persisted  in  his 
refusal,  upon  which  they  were  so  incensed,  that  they  commit- 
ted him  a  "  close  prisoner,  without  bail  or  mainprize." 

While  thus  confined  among  felons,  in  a  foul  and  loathsome 
prison,  he  rejected  every  offer  of  deliverance  which  in  the 
least  compromised  his  principles ;  for  his  heart  was  given  up 
to  the  divine  service,  and  he  felt  assured  that  the  Lord  would 
in  his  own  good  time  bring  him  forth. 

In  order  to  warn  his  friends  against  the  "deceits  of  the 


74  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

world,"  and  to  show  "how  the  priests  deceived  the  people," 
he  issued  the  following  paper  : 

"  To  all  that  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  a  pure  and 
naked  heart,  and  the  generation  of  the  righteous : — 
"  Christ  was  ever  hated ;  and  the  righteous  for  his  sake. 
Mind  who  they  were  that  did  ever  hate  them.  He  that  was 
born  after  the  flesh  persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the 
spirit ;  so  it  is  now.  Mind  who  were  the  chiefest  against 
Christ ;  even  the  great  learned  men,  the  heads  of  the  people, 
the  rulers  and  teachers,  that  professed  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets and  looked  for  Christ.  They  looked  for  an  outwardly- 
glorious  Christ  to  hold  up  their  outward  glory ;  but  Christ 
spoke  against  the  works  of  the  world,  and  against  the  priests, 
scribes  and  pharisees,  and  their  hypocritical  profession.  He 
that  is  a  stranger  to  Christ  is  an  hireling ;  but  the  servants 
of  Christ  are  freemen.  False  teachers  always  laid  burdens 
upon  the  people ;  and  the  true  servants  of  the  Lord  declared 
against  them.  Jeremiah  spoke  against  hirelings,  and  said, 
'  It  was  an  horrible  thing ;  and  what  will  ye  do  in  the  end  ?' 
for  the  people  and  priests  were  given  to  covetousness.  Paul 
spoke  against  such  as  made  gain  upon  the  people,  and  exhorted 
the  saints  to  turn  away  from  such  as  were  covetous  and  proud, 
such  as  loved  pleasures  more  than  God,  such  as  had  a  form 
of  godliness,  but  denied  the  power  thereof.  'For  of  this  sort,' 
said  he,  '  are  they  that  creep  into  houses  and  lead  captive 
silly  women;  who  are  ever  learning  and  never  able  to  come 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  men  of  corrupt  minds,  repro- 
bate concerning  the  faith,  and  as  Jannes  and  Jambres  with- 
stood Moses,  so  do  these  resist  the  truth ;  but  they  shall  pro- 
ceed no  farther,  for  their  folly  shall  be  made  manifest  to  all 
men.'  Moses  forsook  honours  and  pleasures  which  he  might 
have  enjoyed.  The  apostle,  in  his  time,  saw  this  corruption 
entering,  which  now  is  spread  over  the  world;  of  having  a 
form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power.  Ask  any  of  your 
teachers  whether  you  may  ever  overcome  your  corruptions  or 
sins?  None  of  them  believe  that;  but,  'as  long  as  a  man  is 


GEORGE   FOX'S   EPISTLE.  .  75 

here,  he  must,"  say  they,  "  carry  about  with  him  the  body  of 
sin."  Thus  pride  is  kept  up,  and  that  honour  and  mastership 
which  Christ  denied,  and  all  unrighteousness.  Yet  multitudes 
of  teachers  !  heaps  of  teachers  !  the  golden  cup  full  of  abomi- 
nations !  Paul  did  not  preach  for  wages,  but  laboured  with 
his  hands,  that  he  might  be  an  example  to  all  that  follow  him. 

0  people,  see  who  follow  Paul !  The  prophet  Jeremiah 
said,  "The  prophets  prophesy  falsely,  and  the  priests  bear 
rule  by  their  means  ;"  but  now  the  priests  bear  rule,  by  the 
means  they  get  from  the  people :  take  away  their  means, 
and  they  will  bear  rule  over  you  no  longer.  They  are  such 
as  the  apostle  said,  "  Intruded  into  those  things  which  they 
never  saw,  being  vainly  puffed  up  with  a  fleshly  mind ;"  and 
as  the  scriptures  declare  of  some  of  old,  "  They  go  in  the  way 
of  Cain  who  was  a  murderer,  and  in  the  way  of  Balaam  who 
coveted  the  wages  of  unrighteousness."  The  prophet  Micah 
also  cried  against  the  judges  that  "judged  for  reward,  and 
the  priests  that  taught  for  hire,  and  the  prophets  that  pro- 
phesied for  money;  yet  leaned  on  the  Lord,  saying, "Is  not 
the  Lord  amongst  us  ?" 

Gifts  blind  the  eyes  of  the  wise.  The  gift  of  God  was 
never  purchased  with  money. 

All  the  holy  servants  of  God  did  ever  cry  against  deceit ; 
and  where  the  Lord  hath  manifested  his  love  they  loathe  it, 
and  that  nature  which  holdeth  it  up. 

GEORGE  Fox. 


76  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Release  from  prison — Visits  Litchfield — Passes  through  Nottinghamshire 
Derbyshire  and  Yorkshire  —  Convincement  of  R.  Farnsworth  — 
J.  Naylor — and  W.  Dewsbury — Preaches  at  Beverly — Visits  Justice 
Hotham — Consternation  of  a  priest — Visits  York-minster — Rudely 
treated — At  Cleaveland  meets  with  Ranters — Meeting  at  Malton — 
At  Pickering — A  clergyman  convinced  who  travels  with  him — Passes 
through  Patrington — Is  apprehended — Searched  by  a  Justice  and  set 
at  liberty — Forgives  his  persecutors — Ascends  Pendie-hill — A  vision — 
Convincement  of  many  in  the  Dales  of  Yorkshire. 

1651. 

ONE  of  the  most  remarkable  traits  in  the  character  of 
George  Fox,  was  his  undeviating  devotion  to  his  sense  of  duty, 
whatever  the  consequences  that  might  ensue.  We  have  seen 
that,  during  his  confinement  in  the  foul  and  loathsome  prison 
at  Derby,  he  rejected  every  offer  that  involved  the  least  com- 
promise of  his  principles.  It  mattered  not  whether  the  pro- 
posal came  from  his  relatives  anxious  to  serve  him,  from  the 
commissioners  of  the  army  proffering  a  post  of  honour,  or 
from  the  magistrates  threatening  the  most  severe  penalties. 
Compromise,  that  enervating  word  which  expresses  the  time- 
serving policy  of  worldly  minds,  seems  not  to  have  entered 
into  his  thoughts.  Placing  his  reliance  upon  the  arm  of 
Divine  Power,  he  was  strong  through  the  determined  purpose 
to  do  right ;  and  amid  the  jeers,  and  the  abuse,  and  the  long 
imprisonments  that  attended  him,  he  stood  firm  in  the  dignity 
of  conscious  innocence,  which,  at  last,  compelled  the  respect 
even  of  his  enemies. 

The  magistrates  of  Derby,  being  conscious  of  the  injustice 
they  had  done  him,  became  exceedingly  uneasy ;  and  the 
longer  he  continued  in  prison,  the  more  they  were  disturbed 
by  the  reproaches  of  that  secret  monitor,  which  pleads  for 
justice  and  mercy  even  in  the  tyrant's  breast,  and  will  not  be 


HE   IS   SET   AT   LIBERTY.  77 

silenced.  At  one  time  they  thought  of  arraigning  him  before 
the  Parliament ;  at  another,  they  proposed  to  banish  him  to 
Ireland. 

"At  first,"  he  says,  " they  called  me  a  deceiver,  a  seducer, 
and  a  blasphemer.  Afterwards,  when  God  had  brought  his 
plagues  upon  them,  they  styled  me  an  honest,  virtuous  man. 
But  their  good  report  and  their  bad  report  were  nothing  to 
me,  for  the  one  did  not  lift  me  up,  nor  the  other  cast  me  down. 
Praised  be  the  Lord  !  At  length,  they  were  made  to  turn  me 
out  of  jail,  about  the  beginning  of  winter,  in  the  year  1651, 
after  I  had  been  a  prisoner  in  Derby  almost  a  year ;  six  months 
in  the  house  of  correction,  and  the  rest  of  the  time  in  the 
common  jail  and  dungeon." 

Being  again  at  liberty,  he  went  forward  as  before  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  passing  through  Leicestershire,  and 
preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

On  approaching  the  city  of  Lichfield,  in  Staffordshire,  a 
very  remarkable  exercise  attended  his  mind,  and  going  through 
the  streets  without  his  shoes,  he  cried,  "  Wo  to  the  bloody 
city  of  Lichfield."  His  feelings  were  deeply  affected;  for 
there  seemed  to  be  a  channel  of  blood  running  down  the 
streets,  and  the  market-place  appeared  like  a  pool  of  blood. 
After  leaving  the  city,  he  began  to  consider  and  inquire  what 
could  be  the  cause  of  this  extraordinary  exercise.  Much  blood 
had  been  shed  there,  during  the  civil  wars,  between  the  king 
and  the  parliament,  but  the  same  had  also  occurred  in  other 
places.  At  length,  he  was  informed  that  during  the  reign  of 
the  Emperor  Dioclesian,  about  one  thousand  Christians  had 
been  put  to  death  in  that  place,  from  which  it  obtained  its 
present  name,  signifying  the  field  of  dead  bodies.  He  there- 
fore attributed  the  exercise  which  came  upon  him,  to  the  sense 
that  was  given  him  of  the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  whose  memo- 
rial he  was  required  to  revive. 

Proceeding  on  his  way,  he  came  through  Nottinghamshire 
and  Derbyshire,  into  Yorkshire,  and  preached  repentance  to 
the  people  in  Doncaster  and  other  places.  At  Balby,  he  held 


78  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

a  meeting,  at  which  some  were  convinced,  among  whom  was 
Richard  Farnsworth,  afterwards  extensively  known  as  an  ahle 
minister  of  the  gospel. 

At  Wakefield,  in  the  same  county,  he  met  with  James  Nay- 
lor  and  Thomas  Goodyear,  hoth  of  whom  had  recently  been 
convinced  of  the  principles  of  Friends. 

At  Lieutenant  Roper's,  near  Balhy,  he  held  an  evening 
meeting,  and  after  it  was  closed,  he  walked  forth  by  moon- 
light, into  an  orchard,  where  William  Dewsbury  and  his  wife 
came  to  him,  seeking  an  interview.*  These  persons  had,  some 
time  previously,  been  convinced  through  the  immediate  influ- 
ence of  divine  grace ;  and  now,  being  confirmed  and  encou- 
raged by  the  ministry  of  George  Fox,  they  joined  in  profes- 
sion with  him,  and  William  Dewsbury  became  distinguished 
as  a  powerful  minister  of  the  gospel  and  a  patient  sufferer  for 
the  cause  of  truth.  He  was  a  prisoner  in  Warwick  castle 
nineteen  years  for  his  religious  principles,  besides  the  impris- 
onments he  suffered  on  that  account  in  other  places,  yet  he 
repined  not,  but  cheerfully  resigned  himself  to  the  Lord's 
will.  About  thirty-seven  years  after  his  convincement,  he 
closed  his  useful  and  exemplary  life  in  London,  rejoicing  in 
the  evidence  he  felt  of  divine  favour,  and  saying  to  those  who 
attended  him,  "  Friends,  be  faithful  and  trust  to  the  Lord  your 
God,  for  I  can  say  I  never  played  the  coward,  but  as  joyfully 
entered  prisons  as  palaces,  and  in  the  prison-house  I  sang 
praises  to  my  God,  and  esteemed  the  bolts  and  locks  upon  me 
as  jewels." 

As  George  Fox  continued  his  journey,  he  stopped  at  many 
of  the  houses  of  the  gentry,  to  admonish  and  exhort  the 
people  "to  turn  to  the  Lord,"  and  coming  to  Beverly,  he  went 
to  an  inn  to  lodge  and  dry  his  clothes,  which  were  very  wet 
with  rain.  In  the  morning,  being  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
he  went  to  the  parish  house  of  worship,  where,  having  waited 
till  the  minister  had  ended,  he  felt  constrained  from  a  sense 

*  Friends'  Library,  II.  232. 


HE   DISCOURSES   TO   MANY.  79 

of  duty  to  speak  to  him  and  to  the  people,  turning  their  atten- 
tion to  Christ  Jesus  their  spiritual  teacher. 

The  power  and  authority  of  divine  truth,  under  which  he 
spoke,  had  a  remarkable  effect  upon  the  people,  and  he  passed 
on  without  molestation.  In  the  afternoon,  he  went  to  another 
place  of  worship,  about  two  miles  distant,  where,  after  waiting 
till  the  priest  had  done,  he  spoke  to  him  and  the  people  very 
largely,  showing  them  the  way  of  life  and  truth,  and  the 
ground  of  election  and  reprobation.  The  priest  said  he  was 
but  a  child,  and  could  not  dispute.  George  replied,  "  I  did 
not  come  to  dispute,  but  to  hold  forth  the  word  of  life  and 
truth  unto  you,  that  you  may  all  know  the  one  seed  the 
promise  of  God  is  to,  both  in  the  male  and  the  female."  The 
congregation  was  very  friendly,  and  desired  him  to  come  again 
on  a  week  day  and  preach  to  them  ;  but  he,  being  desirous  to 
call  them  off  from  a  dependence  upon  man,  directed  them  to 
their  teacher  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  "the  true  shepherd  and 
bishop  of  souls." 

The  next  day  he  went  to  Captain  Pursloe's  at  Crantsick, 
who,  being  favorably  inclined  toward  him,  accompanied  him 
on  a  visit  to  Justice  Hotham.  The  Justice  was  a  man  of 
religious  experience;  and,  after  some  serious  discourse,  he 
invited  George  into  his  closet  or  study,  where  he  acknowledged 
that  "  he  had  known  this  principle  for  ten  years,  and  he  was 
glad  that  the  Lord  did  now  send  his  servants  to  publish  it 
abroad  to  the  people." 

While  he  was  staying  at  Justice  Hotham's,  a  lady  of  rank 
called  there  on  business,  who,  in  conversation  with  the  Justice, 
said,  "The  last  Sabbath-day  there  came  an  angel  or  spirit 
into  the  church  at  Beverly,  and  spoke  the  wonderful  things  of 
God,  to  the  astonishment  of  all  that  were  there ;  and  when  it 
had  done,  it  passed  away,  and  they  knew  not  whence  it  came, 
nor  whither  it  went,  but  it  astonished  all — priests,  professors, 
and  magistrates."  This  evidently  related  to  the  visit  of 
George  Fox,  and  shows,  not  only  the  power  of  his  ministry, 


80  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

but  the  peculiar  state  of  feeling  then  prevailing  in  the  public 
mind. 

On  the  following  First-day,  accompanied  by  Captain  Pur- 
sloe,  he  attended  a  parish  house  of  worship,  where,  after  the 
usual  service,  he  preached  so  effectually,  that  some  were  con- 
vinced, and  a  meeting  of  Friends  was  gathered  in  that  place. 
In  the  afternoon,  he  went  to  another  "steeple-house,"  where 
"  preached  a  great  high-priest  called  a  doctor."  This  minister 
took  for  his  text  these  words :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money,  come  ye 
buy  and  eat,  yea,  come  buy  wine  and  milk,  without  money 
and  without  price."  When  the  sermon  was  ended,  George 
Fox  said,  "  Come  down,  thou  deceiver ;  dost  thou  bid  people 
come  freely,  and  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely,  and  yet  thou 
takest  three  hundred  pounds  a  year  of  them  for  preaching  the 
scriptures  to  them  ?  Mayst  thou  not  blush  for  shame  ?  Did 
the  prophet  Isaiah  and  Christ  do  so,  who  spoke  the  words, 
and  gave  them  forth  freely  ?  Did  not  Christ  say  to  his 
ministers,  whom  he  sent  to  preach,  *  Freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give  ?'  '  The  priest,  like  a  man  amazed,  hasted  away, 
and  George  Fox  had  a  full  opportunity  to  speak  to  the  con- 
gregation, whom  he  directed  to  the  grace  of  God,  that  would 
teach  them,  and  bring  them  salvation,  for  the  spirit  of  God 
revealed  in  the  soul  is  a  free  teacher. 

From  this  meeting,  he  returned  to  Justice  Hotham's,  who 
took  him  in  his  arms,  saying,  "  My  house  is  your  house,  I  am 
exceeding  glad  at  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  that  his  power 
is  revealed."  He  then  explained  why  he  did  not  go  to  the 
meeting,  in  the  morning ;  being  apprehensive,  he  said,  that  the 
officers  might  have  required  him  to  take  some  measures  in 
relation  to  his  guest,  that  would  have  brought  him  into  diffi- 
culty. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  next  week,  being  at  York,  he  was 
impressed  with  a  sense  of  duty  to  visit  the  great  Cathedral, 
called  York-minster. 

"  Accordingly,"  he  says,  "  I  went.     When  the  priest  had 


ADVICE  TO   RANTERS.  81 

done,  I  told  them  I  had  something  from  the  Lord  God  to  speak 
to  the  priest  and  people."  "Then  say  on  quickly,"  said"  a 
professor,  for  it  was  frost  and  snow,  and  very  cold  weather. 
Then  I  told  them,  this  was  the  word  of  the  Lord  God  unto 
them,  "  that  they  lived  in  words,  but  God  Almighty  looked 
for  fruits  amongst  them."  As  soon  as  the  words  were  out  of 
my  mouth,  they  hurried  me  out  and  threw  me  down  the  steps. 
But  I  got  up  again  without  hurt,  and  went  to  my  lodgings 
again,  and  several  were  convinced  there." 

From  York,  he  went  to  Burraby,  where  many  embraced  his 
principles,  and  a  meeting  of  Friends  was  settled.  Thence  he 
proceeded  to  Cleaveland,  where  he  found  a  people  who  "  had 
tasted  of  the  power  of  God,"  having,  formerly,  great  meetings, 
but  now  they  were  much  shattered,  and  their  leaders  had  be- 
come Ranters.  He  told  them,  that  "  after  they  had  such 
meetings  they  did  not  wait  upon  God  to  feel  his  power  to 
gather  their  minds  inward,  that  they  might  feel  his  presence 
and  power  amongst  them  in  their  meetings,  to  sit  down  therein, 
and  wait  upon  Him,  for  they  had  spoken  themselves  dry,  they 
had  spent  their  portions,  and  not  living  in  that  they  spoke  of, 
they  were  now  become  dry."  He,  therefore,  advised  that  "  they 
should  all  come  together  again,  and  wait  to  feel  the  Lord's 
power  and  spirit  in  themselves,  to  gather  them  to  Christ,  that 
they  might  be  taught  of  him  who  says,  '  Learn  of  me.'  The 
heads  or  leaders  among  them  came  to  nothing,  but  most  of  the 
people  embraced  the  principles  of  Friends,  and  a  good  meeting 
was  established  there." 

Although  the  snow  was  deep  he  continued  to  travel  a-foot, 
and  coming  to  Stath,  he  met  with  many  professors  of  religion, 
and  some  Ranters,  among  whom  he  held  meetings  and  a  great 
number  were  convinced  through  his  ministry.  Among  those 
who  embraced  his  principles,  one  was  a  man  a  hundred  years 
old,  another  a  chief  constable,  and  a  third  a  clergyman  named 
Philip  Scafe.  The  latter  became  subsequently  a  minister  of 
the  gospel  in  the  society  of  Friends. 

The  parish  priest  at  Stath  was  exceedingly  oppressive  in 
6 


82  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  collection  of  his  tithes.  When  his  parishioners  went  a- 
fishing  many  leagues  off,  he  would  exact  the  tithe-money  of 
what  they  made  of  their  fish,  even  though  they  were  carried 
for  sale  as  far  as  Yarmouth.  George  Fox  felt  constrained  to 
go  to  the  parish  house  of  worship,  to  lay  open  the  extortions 
of  this  priest,  and  to  "  declare  truth  to  the  people."  When 
the  oppressions  of  this  mercenary  teacher  were  exposed,  he 
fled  away,  and  George  had  a  full  opportunity  to  address  the 
congregation. 

His  ministry  took  effect  with  some,  who  at  night  came  to 
him,  and  being  fully  convinced,  acknowledged  the  truth  of  his 
doctrine. 

From  this  time  forward,  the  principles  of  Friends  began  to 
spread  in  Yorkshire,  and  great  meetings  were  held  in  which 
the  gospel  was  preached  freely.  Not  only  the  parish  priests, 
but  the  Ranters,  began  to  rage ;  and  one  of  their  leading  men 
challenged  George  Fox  to  a  public  disputation.  The  chal- 
lenge being  accepted,  a  large  company  assembled,  among 
whom  were  many  of  the  Ranters,  and  a  Scotch  clergyman. 
In  this  meeting,  George  Fox,  after  having  exposed  the  ab- 
surdities and  impiety  of  the  Ranters,  whom  he  compared  to  the 
old  Sodomites,  turned  upon  the  clergy,  whom  he  proved  to  be 
of  the  same  stamp  as  "the  false  prophets  of  old,  and  the 
priests  that  bore  rule  over  the  people,  by  their  means,  seeking 
their  gain  from  their  quarter,  divining  for  money,  and  teaching 
for  filthy  lucre."  The  Scotch  priest  was  highly  incensed,  and 
after  the  meeting,  striking  his  cane  upon  the  ground,  he  said 
to  Philip  Scafe,  if  ever  he  met  with  George  Fox  again,  he 
would  have  his  life,  or  Fox  should  have  his  ;  yet  this  man  and 
his  wife  became  afterwards  convinced  of  the  principles  of 
Friends. 

At  another  meeting,  where  George  Fox  was  declaring  that 
"  The  gospel  was  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation, — that  it 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  in  men,  and  turned 
people  from  darkness  to  light;"  a  priest  who  was  present, 
opposed  him,  saying  that,  "  The  gospel  was  mortal."  Upon 


HIS   OBJECTIONS   TO   PULPITS.  83 

this,  Philip  Scafe,  who  was  formerly  a  clergyman,  and  had 
lately  embraced  the  principles  of  Friends,  took  up  the  dis- 
pute, which  he  managed  so  well,  that  many  more  were  convinced 
of  the  same  principles.  Another  priest  sent  a  challenge  for 
a  disputation  with  George  Fox,  who,  with  some  of  his  friends, 
went  to  meet  him ;  but  when  they  drew  near,  the  challenger 
fled  from  the  house,  and  hid  himself  under  a  hedge. 

The  Friends  then  went  to  a  neighbouring  place  of  worship, 
where  the  priest  had  used  threatening  language  against  them, 
but,  no  sooner  were  they  come,  than  he  fled,  and  George  Fox, 
being  left  in  possession  of  the  field,  preached  to  the  people 
who  were  eager  to  hear  him.  On  this  occasion  he  remarks  in 
his  Journal,  that  "  It  was  a  dreadful  thing  to  the  priests,  when 
it  was  told  them,  '  The  man  in  leathern  breeches  is  come.'  ' 

At  Malton  he  had  large  meetings  at  private  houses,  but 
some  of  the  people  desired  him  to  preach  in  the  houses 
appointed  for  public  worship.  One  of  the  priests  invited  him 
to  occupy  his  pulpit,  but  he  felt  an  objection  to  pulpits, 
"which  the  priests  lolled  in,"  as  well  as  to  the  "steeple- 
houses,"  that  were  superstitiously  regarded  as  holy  places, 
and  temples  of  the  Lord.  He  found  it  his  duty,  however,  at 
times,  to  visit  them,  in  order  to  gather  people  from  thence, 
teaching  them  that  "  God  dwells  not  in  temples  made  with 
hands,"  but  in  the  hearts  of  his  people. 

Having  gone  to  the  parish  house  of  worship,  at  Malton,  two 
clergymen  insisted  upon  his  going  into  the  pulpit,  but  he 
declined,  saying,  "  He  came  not  to  uphold  such  places,  nor 
their  maintenance  and  trade."  Being  offended  at  this,  they 
said,  "  These  false  prophets  were  to  come  in  the  last  times." 
He  then  stepped  upon  a  high  seat,  and  declared  to  them  the 
marks  of  the  false  prophets,  showing  that  they  were  already 
come,  and  he  directed  the  people  to  their  inward  teacher, 
Christ  Jesus,  who  would  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light. 
At  Pickering,  he  held  a  meeting  in  a  school-house,  near  the 
parish  house  of  worship,  which  was  then  occupied  by  the 


84  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

justices  holding  their  sessions,  Justice  Robinson  being  chair- 
man. 

The  meeting  at  the  school-house  was  large,  being  attended 
by  a  number  of  professors  and  clergymen,  who  asked  many 
questions,  which  were  answered  to  their  satisfaction.  Four 
chief  constables,  and  many  others,  received  the  doctrines 
declared,  and  word  was  carried  to  Justice  Robinson  that  his 
pastor,  whom  he  esteemed  above  all  others,  was  overthrown 
and  convinced. 

This  clergyman,  whose  name  was  Boyes,  wished  to  pay  for 
George  Fox's  dinner  at  the  inn,  but  he  would  by  no  means 
suffer  it.  He  also  offered  his  "  steeple-house  "  for  George  to 
preach  in ;  but  the  latter  declined  it,  saying  that  he  came  to 
bring  them  off  from  such  things  to  Christ. 

The  next  morning  he  went,  in  company  with  four  chief 
constables,  and  some  others,  to  visit  Justice  Robinson,  who 
met  him  at  his  chamber  door.  George  told  him  he  could  not 
honour  him  with  man's  honour,  and  the  justice  replied,  he  did 
not  expect  it.  They  then  went  into  his  chamber,  where 
George  opened  to  him  the  state  of  the  false  prophets  and  of 
the  true  prophets,  directing  him  to  Christ,  as  an  inward 
teacher.  He  explained  to  him  the  parables,  and  the  ground 
of  election  and  reprobation ;  showing  that  reprobation  stands 
in  the  first  birth,  and  election  in  the  second  birth. 

The  Justice  acknowledged  the  truth  of  these  doctrines,  and 
wished  to  contribute  something  towards  his  travelling  expenses 
while  in  the  country;  but  George,  after  acknowledging  his 
kindness,  refused  his  money,  and  took  leave  of  him. 

For  several  days,  he  was  accompanied  by  the  clergyman 
who  had  been  convinced  at  Pickering.  While  they  halted  for 
refreshment  at  a  town,  the  bells  rang,  and  George  asked  for 
what  purpose  they  were  rung.  He  was  answered,  that  "  it 
was  for  him  to  preach  in  the  steeple-house." 

Believing  it  right  for  him  to  go,  he  went  thither,  and  was 
invited  to  enter  and  occupy  the  pulpit,  but  he  stood  up  in  the 
yard,  and  declared  to  the  people  that  he  came  not  to  uphold 


SILENT  WAITING.  85 

their  idol-temples,  nor  their  priests,  nor  their  tithes,  nor  their 
Jewish  and  heathenish  ceremonies  and  traditions ;  nor  did  he 
consider  that  ground  more  holy  than  any  other  piece  of  ground. 
He  showed  them,  that  the  apostles  going  into  Jewish  syna- 
gogues and  temples,  which  God  had  commanded,  was  to  bring 
people  off  from -that  temple  and  those  synagogues;  and  from 
the  offerings,  tithes,  and  covetous  priests  of  that  time:  that 
such  as  were  converted  and  believed  in  Christ  met  together  in 
dwelling-houses ;  and  that  all  who  preach  Christ  the  word  of 
life,  ought  to  preach  freely,  as  the  apostles  did  and  as  he  com- 
manded. He  exhorted  the  congregation  to  come  off  from 
these  things,  directing  them  to  the  spirit  and  grace  of  God  in 
themselves  —  the  light  of  Jesus  in  their  own  hearts,  that  they 
might  come  to  know  Christ  their  free  teacher  to  bring  them 
salvation  and  to  open  the  scriptures  to  them. 

Still  accompanied  by  the  clergyman,  he  came  to  another 
town  where  a  large  company  gathered  around  him,  and  he  sat 
upon  a  hay-stack  several  hours,  in  silence,  feeling  it  his  duty 
"to  famish  them  from  words." 

While  thus  waiting,  the  people  would  frequently  inquire  of 
his  companion;  "When  will  he  speak?"  "When  will  he 
begin  ?"  He  bade  them  wait,  and  reminded  them  that  the 
people  waited  upon  Christ  a  long  while  before  he  spoke.  At 
length,  feeling  the  power  of  Divine  life  to  arise,  George  Fox 
spoke  in  the  authority  of  truth,  and  there  was  a  general  con- 
vincement  among  his  auditors. 

As  they  passed  on  their  way,  some  of  the  people  called  to 
his  companion,  saying,  "  Mr.  Boyes,  we  owe  you  some  money 
for  tithes,  pray  come  aud  take  it."  But  he  threw  up  his 
hands  and  said  "he  would  have  none  of  it,"  and  "he  praised 
God  he  had  enough." 

George  Fox,  having  returned  to  Crantsick,  called  an  Cap- 
tain Pursloe  and  Justice  Hotham,  by  whom  he  was  gladly 
received  and  hospitably  entertained.  Justice  Hotham  said  to 
him  "  If  God  had  not  raised  up  this  principle  of  light  and  life 
which  you  preach,  the  nation  had  been  overrun  with  Ranter- 


86  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

ism,  and  all  the  Justices  in  the  nation  could  not  have  stopped 
it,  with  all  their  laws,  because  they  would  have  said  as  we  said, 
and  done  as  we  commanded,  and  yet  have  kept  their  own 
principles  still.  But  their  principles  are  overthrown  by  this 
principle  of  Life  and  Truth ;  therefore  I  am  glad  the  Lord 
has  raised  it  up." 

Leaving  these  hospitable  friends,  he  travelled  into  Holder- 
ness,  and  thence  to  Oram,  where  he  went  to  the  "  steeple-house, 
and,  the  priests  having  fled,  he  preached  to  the  congregation 
with  such  unction  and  power,  that  many  embraced  his  views 
and  joined  with  him  in  religious  fellowship.  The  next  day, 
his  friends  and  fellow  travellers  having  left  him,  he  went  forward 
alone,  still  travelling  a-foot.  In  the  evening,  having  come  to 
the  town  of  Patrington,  he  walked  through  the  streets  exhort- 
ing both  priests  and  people  to  repentance  and  amendment  of 
life.  When  it  grew  dark,  he  went  to  an  inn  and  asked  for 
lodging,  which  was  denied  him :  he  then  desired  a  little  meat 
or  milk,  for  which  he  offered  to  pay,  but  was  refused.  Pass- 
ing out  of  the  town,  he  asked  for  food  and  lodging  at  two  other 
houses,  but  without  success,  for  so  great  was  the  prejudice 
against  him,  that  neither  the  promptings  of  humanity,  nor  the 
prospect  of  reward,  could  induce  the  people  to  entertain  him. 
In  this  extremity,  he  satisfied  his  thirst  with  water  from  a 
ditch,  and  sat  down  among  the  furze-bushes  to  pass  the  night. 

At  break  of  day,  he  arose,  but  was  soon  after  apprehended 
by  a  constable,  attended  by  a  band  of  armed  men,  who  con- 
ducted him  back  to  Patrington,  where,  the  whole  population 
being  drawn  together  by  the  report  of  his  arrest,  he  found 
another  opportunity  "  to  declare  the  word  of  life  among  them, 
and  warn  them  to  repent."  At  last,  a  citizen  of  the  place, 
being  moved  with  compassion,  gave  him  some  bread  and  milk, 
which  was  the  first  food  he  had  eaten  for  some  days.  From 
that  town  he  was  sent,  under  a  guard,  about  nine  miles  to  a 
justice,  who,  on  searching  for  letters,  found  him  so  well  pro- 
vided with  changes  of  linen,  that  he  declared  he  was  no 
vagrant,  and  set  him  at  liberty. 


HIS   FORBEARANCE   TOWARDS   PERSECUTORS.  87 

He  immediately  returned  to  Patrington,  where  lie  remained 
some  days,  and  had  large  meetings.  Many  were  convinced, 
and  joined  in  profession  with  him,  who  deeply  regretted  that 
they  did  not  receive  him  on  his  first  entrance.  The  respect 
now  shown  him  was,  on  the  part  of  some,  accompanied  by  a 
feeling  of  superstitious  dread.  This  was  evinced,  soon  after 
his  return,  by  the  conduct  of  his  host,  who  desired  him  to  go 
to  bed,  or  at  least  to  lie  down  upon  a  bed,  in  order  to  refute 
a  report  which  was  rife  among  the  people,  that  he  never  slept 
upon  a  bed. 

The  person  who  had  been  the  instigator  of  his  arrest,  came 
forward  and  asked  his  forgiveness,  which  he  freely  granted. 
A  short  time  previously,  being  asked  by  Justice  Hotham,  who 
wished  to  protect  him,  whether  any  persons  had  meddled  with 
him,  or  abused  him,  he  declined  giving  any  information  on  the 
subject,  thus  affording  a  practical  illustration  of  that  beautiful 
trait  in  the  Christian  character — forgiveness  of  injuries.  This 
trait  was  also  evinced  soon  after,  in  his  refusing  to  appear 
against  the  clerk  of  the  parish  at  Ticknell,  in  Yorkshire,  who, 
with  many  others,  fell  upon  him  in  their  house  of  worship  and 
beat  him  in  the  face  with  their  bibles  until  his  blood  gushed 
out  upon  the  floor. 

Notwithstanding  the  violent  abuse  and  severe  sufferings  to 
which  he  was  often  subjected  from  the  rude  populace,  insti- 
gated generally  by  the  priests,  he  still  held  on  his  way,  exhort- 
ing the  people  wherever  he  came  to  repentance  and  amend- 
ment of  life.  In  most  places  some  were  found  to  receive  his 
testimony,  and  he  declared  his  belief  that  "  if  but  one  man 
or  woman  were  raised  up  by  the  Lord's  power  to  stand  and 
live  therein,  as  the  prophets  and  apostles  did,  that  man  or 
woman  would  shake  all  the  country  in  their  profession  for  ten 
miles  round." 

Continuing  his  travels  he  came  to  Pendlehill,  which,  from 
a  persuasion  of  duty,  he  ascended,  but  with  great  difficulty, 
it  being  very  steep  and  high.  From  the  summit  he  had  a 


88  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

wide  prospect  around,  reaching  to  the  Irish  Sea  on  the  coast 
of  Lancashire. 

"  From  the  top  of  this  hill,"  he  says,  "  the  Lord  let  me  see 
in  what  places  he  had  a  great  people  to  be  gathered.  As  I 
went  down,  I  found  a  spring  of  water  in  the  side  of  the  hill, 
with  which  I  refreshed  myself,  having  eaten  or  drunk  hut 
little  for  several  days  before." 

At  night,  having  come  to  an  inn,  he  declared  the  truths  of 
the  gospel,  and  wrote  a  paper  addressed  to  the  priests  and 
professors  of  religion.  "  It  was  here,"  he  says  in  his  Journal, 
"  the  Lord  opened  to  me,  and  let  me  see  a  great  people  in 
white  raiment,  by  a  river-side,  coming  to  serve  the  Lord.  The 
place  that  I  saw  them  in,  was  about  Wentzerdale  and  Sed- 
bergh." 

The  following  day,  accompanied  by  his  friend  Richard 
Farnsworth,  he  continued  his  journey,  and  at  night  they  slept 
on  a  bed  of  fern  spread  upon  the  common. 

Next  morning,  he  parted  with  his  companion  and  travelled 
alone  through  Wentzerdale,  till  he  came  to  a  town  where  there 
was  a  lecture  on  the  market-day.  Here  he  went  to  the  parish 
house  of  worship,  and  when  the  priest  had  done,  he  "  declared 
the  day  of  the  Lord,  warning  them  to  turn  from  darkness  to 
the  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they 
might  come  to  know  God  and  Christ  aright,  and  to  receive  his 
teaching  who  teaches  freely." 

Having  spoken  largely  and  freely  without  much  opposition, 
he  "  passed  up  the  dales,  warning  the  people  to  fear  God,  and 
preaching  the  everlasting  gospel."  In  this  manner,  he  passed 
through  Wentzerdale,  Grysedale,  and  several  other  dales  in 
the  western  part  of  Yorkshire,  where  many  were  convinced 
and  continued  steadfast  in  the  faith. 

In  these  dales,  there  were  doubtless  many  serious  and  de- 
vout persons,  of  the  class  called  "  Seekers."  Being  dissatis- 
fied with  the  forms  of  the  Anglican  Church,  they  had  with- 
drawn from  it,  and  were  looking  for  a  more  spiritual  religion, 
which  they  sought  by  inward  retirement  and  secret  prayer. 


MEETING   AT    FIRBANK    CHAPEL.  89 

A  company  of  these,  who  were  separated  from  the  public 
worship,  being  assembled  at  Justice  Benson's  near  Sedberg  in 
Yorkshire,  George  Fox  attended  and  found  great  openness 
among  them,  for  the  reception  of  his  doctrines.  They  were 
generally  convinced,  and  a  large  meeting  of  Friends  was 
settled  through  his  ministry. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Meeting  at  Firbank  chapel  —  Convincement  of  Francis  Howgill,  J. 
Camm,  John  and  Ann  Audland — Meetings  at  Kendal  and  Under- 
barrow — Convincement  of  E.  Burrough — Swarthmore — Convince- 
ment of  Margaret  Fell  and  family,  among  whom  were  Thomas  Salt- 
house,  Wm.  Caton,  and  Ann  Clayton. 

1652. 

IN  the  county  of  Westmoreland,  near  the  picturesque  lake 
Winandermere,  stood,  until  recently,  a  venerable  edifice  called 
Firbank  chapel.  It  was  situated  on  an  eminence  commanding 
a  wide  prospect  of  barren  moors,  on  which  few  habitations  of 
man  could  be  seen.*  The  country,  at  some  distance  around, 
was  broken  into  hills  and  dales,  where  resided  a  rural  popula- 
tion who  worshipped  at  this  place. 

It  was  here  that  George  Fox,  in  the  spring  of  the  year 
1652,  held  one  of  the  most  memorable  of  all  his  meetings. 
He  arrived  at  the  chapel  during  the  time  of  the  morning  ser- 
vice, on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  Francis  Howgill  and 
John  Audland  were  officiating  as  ministers  to  a  large  congre- 
gation. They  were  classed  among  the  Independents,  and 
being  sincere  and  earnest  in  their  religious  exercises,  were 
held  in  high  esteem  by  the  people. 

Seeing  George  Fox  arrive,  they  quickly  ended  their  ser- 
vices, for  Francis,  having  heard  him  a  few  days  previously, 
was  favourably  impressed  with  his  doctrines.  At  the  close  of 

*  London  Friend,  1851. 


90  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  morning  meeting,  the  ministers  and  part  of  the  congrega- 
tion retired  for  dinner,  but  many  remained  at  the  chapel,  and 
George  Fox,  having  refreshed  himself  with  water  from  a 
brook,  returned  and  sat  on  the  top  of  a  rock  contiguous  to 
the  chapel. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  people  gathered  around  him  to  the 
number  of  about  a  thousand,  among  whom  were  several  of 
their  preachers.  Many  old  people,  thinking  it  strange  to  see 
a  man  preach  from  the  top  of  a  rock,  went  into  the  chapel 
and  gazed  at  him  through  the  windows.  For  about  the  space 
of  three  hours,  he  preached  the  gospel  "  in  demonstration  of 
the  spirit  and  of  power,"  directing  them  to  the  spirit  of  God 
in  themselves,  by  obedience  to  which  they  might  become  the 
chil'dren  of  light,  and  turned  from  Satan  unto  God.  By  this 
Spirit  of  Truth  they  would  come  to  understand  the  words  of 
the  prophets,  of  Christ,  and  of  the  apostles,  and  they  would 
experience  Christ  to  be  their  teacher  to  instruct  them,  their 
counsellor  to  direct  them,  their  shepherd  to  feed  them,  their 
bishop  to  oversee  them,  and  their  prophet  to  open  divine  mys- 
teries unto  them.  -Thus  they  would  know  their  bodies  to  be 
sanctified  and  made  fit  temples  for  God  and  Christ  to  dwell  in. 

He  explained  to  them  the  parables  and  sayings  of  Christ, 
the  scope  and  intent  of  the  apostles'  writings,  and  the  state 
of  apostacy  into  which  the  church  had  fallen  through  the 
mercenary  conduct  of  the  priests.  "The  steeple-house,"  he 
told  them,  "  and  the  ground  whereon  it  stood,  were  no  more 
holy  than  that  mountain ;  and  that  those  temples,  which  they 
called  the  dreadful  houses  of  God,  were  not  set  up  by  the 
command  of  God  and  of  Christ ;  nor  their  priests  called,  as 
Aaron's  priesthood  was ;  nor  their  tithes  appointed  by  God, 
as  those  amongst  the  Jews  were ;  but  that  Christ  was  come 
who  ended  both  the  temple  and  its  worship,  and  the  priests 
and  their  tithes ;  and  all  now  should  hearken  to  him  ;  for  he 
said,  "Learn  of  me,"  and  God  said  of  him,  "This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased ;  hear  ye  him." 

"  I  declared  to  them,"  he  continues,  "  that  the  Lord  God 


NOTICE   OF   FRANCIS   HOWGILL.  91 

had  sent  me  to  preach  the  everlasting  gospel  and  word  of  life 
amongst  them,  and  to  bring  them  off  from  these  temples,  tithes, 
priests,  and  rudiments  of  the  world,  which  had  got  up  since 
the  apostles'  days,  and  had  been  set  up  by  such  as  erred  from 
the  spirit  and  power  that  the  apostles  were  in."  "Very 
largely  was  I  opened  in  this  meeting ;  the  Lord's  convincing 
power  accompanied  my  ministry,  and  reached  home  to  the 
hearts  of  the  people,  whereby  many  were  convinced,  and  all 
the  teachers  of  that  congregation  (who  were  many)  were  con- 
vinced of  God's  everlasting  truth." 

Among  the  proselytes  were  Francis  Howgill,  John  Camm, 
John  Audland,  and  Ann  his  wife,  (afterwards  known  as  Ann 
Camm)  all  of  whom  became  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  the 
society  of  Friends.  As  they  proved  to  be  able  coadjutors. of 
George  Fox,  some  notice  of  them  may  not  be  inappropriate  in 
this  place. 

Francis  Howgill  received  a  collegiate  education,  in  order  to 
prepare  him  for  the  ministry  in  the  Episcopal  church.  From 
his  own  account  of  his  religious  experience,  it  appears  that, 
at  twelve  years  of  age,  he  set  his  heart  to  seek  for  the  know- 
ledge of  God.*  He  associated  with  the  strictest  sort  of  pro- 
fessors, was  assiduous  in  reading  the  scriptures,  loved  retire- 
ment, and  resolved  to  avoid  the  sports  and  pastimes  common 
to  youth.  But  these  resolutions,  being  made  in  his  own  will 
and  strength,  were  often  broken,  which  brought  him  into 
condemnation  and  deep  distress. ' 

At  fifteen  years  of  age,  being  earnestly  desirous  of  spiritual 
knowledge,  he  frequented  meetings,  and  followed  the  most 
renowned  preachers :  nevertheless,  corruption  still  prevailed 
in  his  heart,  but  as  "he  kept  within  to  the  light  in  his  con- 
science," he  was  restrained  from  gross  evils,  and  condemned 
for  sin.  These  convictions,  he  was  assured  by  the  ministers, 
proceeded  from  "a  natural  conscience;"  and  thus  he  was 

*  The  inheritance  of  Jacob,  discovered  after  his  return  out  of  Egypt, 
&c.,  by  Francis  Howgill.  London  Edition,  1656. 


92  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

induced  to  undervalue  the  light,  as  "  too  low  a  thing,  being 
only  a  common  grace,"  whereas,  he  was  told,  the  saints  "had 
a  peculiar  faith  and  grace,"  to  whom  sin  was  not  imputed,  but 
believing  in  Christ,  "his  righteousness  was  accounted  to 
them."  They  instructed  him  to  believe  that  Christ  had 
suffered  the  penalty  of  sin  for  him ;  but  he  could  not  see  how 
Christ  had  taken  away  his  sins,  for  the  witness  in  his  con- 
science told  him,  that  while  he  continued  in  the  practice  of 
sinning,  "he  was  the  servant  of  sin." 

He  fasted,  prayed,  and  walked  mournfully  in  sorrow,  being 
tempted  on  every  hand,  but  "  the  witness  of  Christ  showed 
him  that  the  root  of  iniquity  stood,  and  the  body  of  sin 
remained."  Then  he  was  told,  that  although  sin  was  taken 
away  by  Christ,  yet  the  guilt  of  sin  would  remain  through 
life,  in  proof  of  which,  they  adduced  the  warfare  of  the  saints : 
but  this  he  found  was  a  "miserable  salvation,"  and  turning 
away  from  all  such,  he  remained  at  home  in  solitude,  finding 
most  peace  of  mind  when  most  affected  with  sorrow. 

He  then  became  acquainted  with  the  Independents,  and 
conceiving  an  esteem  for  them,  he  joined  in  communion  with 
them.  They  professed  separation  from  the  world,  but  he 
found  them,  in  doctrine  and  practice,  like  others  whom  he  had 
forsaken.  He  next  resorted  to  the  Anabaptists,  who  appeared 
to  walk  more  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  there  was 
something  among  them  that  he  loved;  but  when  he  found 
them  maintaining,  that  "  All  who  came  not  into  their  way, 
were  out  of  the  fellowship  of  the  saints,  and  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,"  he  saw  they  occupied  the  same  ground  as  the  rest  of 
the  teachers  in  the  world.  • 

Some  preached  the  doctrine  that  "  all  sin,  past,  present, 
and  to  come,"  was  done  away  by  Christ,  and  "so  preached 
salvation  to  the  first  nature,  and  to  the  serpent  that  bore  rule ; 
only  believing  this,  and  all  was  finished ;"  but  when  he  heark- 
ened to  this  doctrine,  he  lost  his  spiritual  condition,  and  the 
language  was  spoken  to  him,  "  His  servant  art  thou,  whom 
thou  obeyest." 


JOHN   CAMM   AND  JOHN  AUDLAND.  93 

At  length,  having  wandered  much,  and  tried  many  teachers, 
he  concluded  that  all  these  sought  themselves,  and  fed  the 
people  on  words  only;  he,  therefore,  withdrew  from  them, 
which  caused  them  to  persecute  him. 

Being  persuaded,  from  an  inward  evidence,  that  the  Lord 
would  teach  his  people  himself,  he  looked  forward  to  the 
dawning  of  a  brighter  day;  but,  not  waiting  patiently  for 
divine  guidance,  he  attempted,  by  his  own  intellectual  powers, 
to  expound  these  openings,  and  went  forth  in  his  own  strength, 
preaching  against  the  ministry  of  others. 

In  this  state,  being  sincere  and  zealous  in  his  religious 
efforts,  he  was  admired  and  followed  by  many ;  but  when  he 
heard  the  powerful,  heart-searching  ministry  of  George  Fox, 
the  secrets  of  his  own  heart  were  revealed,  and  standing  as 
One  condemned,  he  confessed  that  he  had  been  "  ignorant  of 
the  first  principle  of  true  religion." 

Having  passed  through  a  season  of  deep  mental  suffering, 
he  came  to  experience  that  spiritual  baptism  of  Christ  which 
purifies  the  soul,  and  to  witness  "cleansing  by  his  blood, 
which  is  eternal."  He  was  then  called  to  be  a  true  minister 
of  the  gospel,  not  according  to  the  wisdom  of  man,  but 
through  the  power  of  God.  No  sooner  did  he  enter  on  this 
service,  than  priests  and  magistrates  became  incensed  against 
him,  and  he  was  cast  into  prison.  After  his  release,  he  went 
to  London,  being  accompanied  by  Anthony  Pearson,  where 
they  held  a  meeting,  in  1654,  which  was  the  first  meeting  of 
Friends  held  in  that  city.*  He  laboured  much,  as  an  able 
minister  of  the  gospel,  and  wrote  several  books  in  defence  of 
his  principles.  Being  imprisoned  at  Appleby  for  refusing  to 
swear,  he  lay  in  jail  five  years,  patiently  suffering  for  the 
testimony  of  a  pure  conscience,  and  was  then  released  by 
death,  f 

John  Camm  and  John  Audland  were  near  neighbours,  and 
closely  united  by  the  ties  of  friendship,  as  well  as  by  the 

*  Sewel,  I.  109.  f  Ibid,  II.  164. 


94  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

stronger  bond  of  religious  fellowship.  They  were  men  of  re- 
spectable standing,  endowed  with  good  natural  abilities,  well 
educated,  and  remarkable  for  the  rectitude  of  their  lives. 
Before  their  acquaintance  with  George  Fox,  they  had  been 
deeply  exercised  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  having,  like 
Francis  Howgill,  withdrawn  from  the  National  Church,  they 
officiated  as  Independent  preachers  at  Firbank  Chapel. 

On  being  convinced  at  that  memorable  meeting,  they  joined 
in  membership  with  Friends,  and  subsequently  came  forth  as 
ministers  of  the  free  gospel  of  Christ.  They  were  often 
associated  in  their  religious  labours,  travelling  together  in 
great  unity  of  spirit,  and  suffering  together  for  the  cause  they 
had  espoused.  John  Camm  lived  but  four  years  after  his 
convincement,  during  which  he  and  John  Audland  were  assid- 
uously engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel.  They  frequently 
visited  the  city  of  Bristol,  where  great  numbers  were  con- 
vinced through  their  ministry. 

John  Audland  survived  his  friend  seven  years,  and  con- 
tinued his  religious  labours.  He  was  frequently  imprisoned, 
and  sometimes  cruelly  beaten  for  his  religious  testimony.  In 
his  last  illness,  being  affected  with  a  pulmonary  disease, 
supposed  to  have  been  occasioned  by  much  speaking ;  he  said, 
"  Ah  !  those  great  meetings  in  the  orchard  at  Bristol !  I  may 
not  forget  them.  I  would  so  gladly  have  spread  my  net 
over  all,  and  gathered  all,  that  I  forgot  myself:  never  con- 
sidering the  inability  of  my  body.  But  it  is  well ! — my  reward 
is  with  me,  and  I  am  content  to  give  up  and  be  with  the  Lord, 
for  that  my  soul  values  above  all  things  else."* 

His  widow,  Ann  Audland,  after  some  years,  married 
Thomas,  a  son  of  John  Camm.  She  was  a  devoted  minister 
of  the  gospel,  and  like  her  first  husband,  was  made  willing  to 
sacrifice  the  comforts  of  home,  and  the  endearments  of  domes- 
tic life,  in  order  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Divine 
master. 

It  was  to  the  house  of  John  and  Ann  Audland,  that  George 

*  Friends'  Library,  V.  480. 


NOTICE   OF   EDWARD   BURROUGH.  95 

Fox  went  immediately  after  his  meeting  at  Firbank  Chapel. 
His  next  meeting  was  at  Preston  Patrick,  where  a  large  con- 
gregation was  assembled,  to  whom  he  preached  the  word  of 
life  with  acceptance. 

At  Kendal,  a  meeting  was  appointed  for  him,  in  the  Town- 
Hall,  which  he  attended,  and  many  were  convinced  of  his 
doctrines. 

From  thence  he  went  to  Underbarrow,  accompanied  by 
several  persons,  with  whom  he  had  much  reasoning  by  the  way, 
concerning  the  truths  of  religion.  Among  them  was  Edward 
Burrough,  a  young  man  of  bright  talents,  and  well  improved 
by  education.  He  was  religiously  inclined  from  his  youth, 
and  by  his  parents  was  trained  up  in  the  Episcopal  worship, 
but  becoming  dissatisfied  therewith,  he  joined  the  Presbyte- 
rians. At  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  was  brought  under 
deep  religious  convictions,  but  although  he  abstained  from  the 
vanities  and  vices  of  the  world,  and  endeavoured  to  live 
religiously,  yet  he  did  not  obtain  that  peace  of  mind,  and  full 
assurance  which  he  longed  for,  until,  in  conversation  with 
George  Fox,  his  understanding  was  opened  to  perceive  the 
excellency  of  that  inward  life,  which  is  "  hid  with  Christ  in 
God."  He  then  joined  himself  in  membership  with  Friends, 
for  which  he  was  rejected  by  his  relatives,  and  expelled  from 
his  father's  house.  This  he  bore  patiently,  and  taking  up  the 
cross  of  self-denial,  he  advanced  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  of  which  he  became  a  devoted  and  eloquent  minister  ; 
distinguished  for  his  undaunted  courage,  his  unwearied  labours, 
and  his  meekness  in  suffering  for  the  righteous  cause. 

At  Underbarrow,  a  meeting  was  appointed  for  George  Fox, 
to  be  held  in  the  chapel,  which  he  attended,  and  preached 
"  the  way  of  life  and  salvation"  to  a  large  congregation. 
Many  were  convinced,  and  among  them  an  aged  man  named 
James  Dickenson,  who  invited  George  to  his  house,  and  em- 
braced the  principles  of  Friends.  At  Cartmel,  in  Lancashire, 
he  met  with  very  different  treatment,  where  the  priest,  being 
enraged,  instigated  the  rude  multitude  to  throw  him  over  a 


96  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

stone  wall,  but,  through  divine  mercy,  he  received  but  little 
injury.  Soon  afterward,  he  came  to  Ulverston,  and  thence  to 
Swarthmore,  the  residence  of  Thomas  Fell,  a  judge  of  high 
standing,  and  vice-chancellor  of  the  county  of  Lancashire. 

The  results  of  his  ministry  at  this  place  are  thus  related  in 
the  "  Testimony"  or  memorial  concerning  him,  written  by  his 
widow,  Margaret  Fox,  who  was  then  the  wife  of  Judge  Fell  : 
"In  the  year  1652,  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  draw  him  towards 
us ;  so  he  came  on  from  Sedbur  into  Westmoreland,  to  Fir- 
bank  Chapel,  where  John  Blaykling  came  with  him,  and  so  on 
to  Preston,  Grarig,  Kendal,  Underbarrow,  Poobank,  Cartmel, 
and  Stoveley,  and  so  on  to  Swarthmore,  my  dwelling-house, 
whither  he  brought  the  blessed  tidings  of  the  everlasting 
gospel,  which  I  and  many  hundreds  in  these  parts  have  cause 
to  bless  the  Lord  for.  My  then  husband,  Thomas  Fell,  was 
not  at  home  at  that  time,  but  gone  to  the  Welch  circuit,  being 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  assize  ;  and  our  house  being  a  place 
open  to  entertain  ministers  and  religious  people  at,  one  of 
George  Fox's  friends  brought  him  thither,  where  he  staid  all 
night ;  and  the  next  day  being  a  lecture  or  fast-day,  he  went 
to  Ulverston  steeple-house,  but  came  not  in  till  the  people 
were  gathered ;  I  and  my  children  being  a  long  time  there 
before.  And  when  they  were  singing  before  the  sermon,  he 
came  in ;  and  when  they  had  done  singing,  he  stood  upon  a 
seat  or  form,  and  desired  'that  he  might  have  liberty  to 
speak;'  and  he  that  was  in  the  pulpit  said  he  might. 

"  And  the  first  words  he  spoke  were  as  followeth  :  *  He  is 
not  a  Jew  that  is  one  outward,  neither  is  that  circumcision 
which  is  outward,  but  he  is  a  Jew  that  is  one  inward,  and  that 
is  circumcision  which  is  of  the  heart.' 

"  And  so  he  went  on  and  said  that  Christ  was  the  light  of 
the  world,  and  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world, 
and  that  by  this  light  they  might  be  gathered  to  God,  &c. 
I  stood  up  in  my  pew  and  wondered  at  his  doctrine,  for  I  had 
never  heard  such  before. 

"  And  then  he  went  on  and  opened  the  scriptures  and  said, 


MARGARET   FOX'S  TESTIMONY.  97 

'  the  scriptures  were  the  prophets'  words,  and  Christ's  and  the 
apostles'  words,  and  what,  as  they  spoke,  they  enjoyed  and 
possessed,  and  had  it  from  the  Lord:'  and  said,  'then  what 
had  any  to  do  with  the  scriptures,  but  as  they  came  to  the 
spirit  that  gave  them  forth  ?  You  will  say,  Christ  saith  this, 
and  the  apostles  say  this ;  but  what  canst  thou  say  ?  Art 
thou  a  child  of  light  and  hast  walked  in  the  light,  and  what 
thou  speakest,  is  it  inwardly  from  God  ?'  &c. 

"  This  opened  me  so,  that  it  cut  me  to  the  heart ;  and  then 
I  saw  clearly  we  were  all  wrong.  So  I  sat  down  in  my  pew 
again,  and  cried  bitterly ;  and  cried  in  my  spirit  to  the  Lord, 
'we  are  all  thieves,  we  are  all  thieves,  we  have  taken  the 
scriptures  in  words,  and  know  nothing  of  them  in  ourselves.' 
So  that  served  me,  that  I  cannot  well  tell  what  he  spoke 
afterwards;  but  he  went  on  in  declaring  against  the  false 
prophets,  priests,  and  deceivers  of  the  people.  And  there  was 
one  John  Sawrey,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  a  professor,  that 
bid  the  churchwarden  take  him  away  ;  and  he  laid  his  hands 
on  him  several  times,  and  took  them  off  again,  and  let  him 
alone,  and  then  after  a  while  he  gave  over  and  came  to  our 
house  again  that  night.  And  he  spoke  in  the  family  amongst 
the  servants,  and  they  were  all  generally  convinced;  as 
William  Caton,  Thomas  Salthouse,  Mary  Askew,  Anne  Clay- 
ton, and  several  other  servants.  And  I  was  struck  into  such 
a  sadness,  I  knew  not  what  to  do,  my  husband  being,  from 
home.  I  saw  it  was  the  truth  and  I  could  not  deny  it ;  and 
I  did  as  the  apostle  saith,  '  I  received  the  truth  in  the  love  of 
it:'  and  it  was  opened  to  me  so  clear,  that  I  had  never  a 
tittle  in  my  heart  against  it,  but  I  desired  the  Lord  that  I 
might  be  kept  in  it,  and  then  I  desired  no  greater  portion. 

"  He  went  on  to  Dalton,  Aldingham,  and  Dendrum,  and 
Ramsyde  chapels  and  steeple-houses,  and  several  places  up 
and  down,  and  the  people  followed  him  mightily :  and  abund- 
ance were  convinced,,  and  saw  that  which  he  spoke  was  truth, 
but  the  priests  were  all  in  a  rage.  And  about  two  weeks 
after,  James  Naylor  and  Richard  Farnesworth  followed  him 
7 


98  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

and  enquired  him  out  till  they  came  to  Swarthmore,  and  there 
staid  awhile  with  me  at  our  house,  and  did  me  much  good ;  for 
I  was  under  great  heaviness  and  judgment.  But  the  power 
of  the  Lord  entered  upon  me  within  about  three  weeks  that 
he  came,  and  about  three  weeks'  end  my  husband  came  home  ; 
and  many  were  in  a  mighty  rage,  and  a  deal  of  the  captains 
and  great  ones  of  the  country  went  to  meet  my  then  husband 
as  he  was  coming  home,  and  informed  him  '  that  a  great  dis- 
aster was  befallen  amongst  his  family,  and  that  they  were 
witches ;  and  that  they  had  taken  us  out  of  our  religion ;  and 
that  he  must  either  send  them  away,  or  all  the  country  would 
be  undone.'  But  no  weapons  formed  against  the  Lord  shall 
prosper,  as  you  may  see  hereafter. 

"So  my  husband  came  home  greatly  offended;  and  any 
may  think  what  a  condition  I  was  like  to  be  in,  that  either  I 
must  displease  my  husband  or  offend  God,  for  he  was  very 
much  troubled  with  us  all  in  the  house  and  family,  they  had 
so  prepossessed  him  against  us.  But  James  Naylor  and 
Richard  Farnesworth  were  both  then  at  our  house,  and  I  de- 
sired them  to  come  and  speak  to  him ;  and  so  they  did  very 
moderately  and  wisely :  but  he  was  at  first  displeased  with 
them,  till  they  told  him  "  they  came  in  love  and  good-will  to 
his  house."  And  after  that  he  had  heard  them  speak  awhile 
he  was  better  satisfied,  and  they  offered  as  if  they  would  go 
away ;  but  I  desired  them  to  stay,  and  not  to  go  away  yet, 
for  George  Fox  would  come  this  evening.  And  I  would  have 
had  my  husband  to  have  heard  them  all  and  satisfied  himself 
further  about  them,  because  they  had  so  prepossessed  him 
against  them  of  such  dangerous  fearful  things  in  his  coming 
first  home.  And  then  he  was  pretty  moderate  and  quiet,  and 
his  dinner  being  ready  he  went  to  it,  and  I  went  in  and  sate 
me  down  by  him.  And  whilst  I  was  sitting,  the  power  of  the 
Lord  seized  upon  me,  and  he  was  struck  with  amazement,  and 
knew  not  what  to  think,  but  was  quiet  and  still.  And  the 
children  were  all  quiet  and  still,  and  grown  sober  and  could 


MARGARET   FOX'S   TESTIMONY.  99 

not  play  on  their  music  that  they  were  learning,  and  all  these 
things  made  him  quiet  and  still. 

"  At  night,  George  Fox  came ;  and  after  supper,  my  hus- 
band was  sitting  in  the  parlour,  and  I  asked  him  '  if  George 
Fox  might  come  in?'  And  he  said,  'Yes.'  So  George  came 
in  without  any  compliment,  and  walked  into  the  room,  and 
began  to  speak  presently ;  and  the  family  and  James  Naylor 
and  Richard  Farnesworth  came  all  in ;  and  he  spoke  very 
excellently  as  ever  I  heard  him,  and  opened  Christ's  and  the 
apostles'  practices,  which  they  were  in,  in  their  day.  And 
he  opened  the  night  of  the  apostacy  since  the  apostles'  days, 
and  laid  open  the  priests  and  their  practices  in  the  apostacy ; 
that  if  all  in  England  had  been  there,  I  thought  they  could 
not  have  denied  the  truth  of  those  things.  And  so  my  hus- 
band came  to  see  clearly  the  truth  of  what  he  spoke,  and  was 
very  quiet  that  night,  said  no  more,  and  went  to  bed.  The 
next  morning  came  Lampit,  priest  of  Ulverston,  and  got  my 
husband  into  the  garden,  and  spoke  much  to  him  there ;  but 
my  husband  had  seen  so  much  the  night  before  that  the  priest 
got  little  entrance  upon  him.  And  when  the  priest  Lampit 
was  come  into  the  house,  George  spoke  sharply  to  him,  and 
asked  him,  "  When  God  spoke  to  him  and  called  him  to  go 
and  preach  to  the  people  ?"  But  after  a  while  the  priest  went 
away ;  this  was  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  week,  about  the  fifth 
month,  1652.  And  at  our  house  divers  Friends  were  speak- 
ing one  to  another,  how  there  were  several  convinced  here- 
aways,  and  we  could  not  tell  where  to  get  a  meeting ;  my 
husband  also  being  present,  he  overheard,  and  said  of  his  own 
accord,  'You  may  meet  here  if  you  will;'  and  that  was  the 
first  meeting  we  had  that  he  offered  of  his  own  accord.  And 
then  notice  was  given  that  day  and  the  next  to  Friends,  and 
there  was  a  good  large  meeting  the  first  day,  which  was  the 
first  meeting  that  was  at  Swarthmore,  and  so  continued  there 
a  meeting  from  1652  to  1690.  And  my  husband  went  that 
day  to  the  steeple-house,  and  none  with  him  but  his  clerk  and 
his  groom,  that  rode  with  him ;  and  the  priest  and  the  people 


100  LI^E   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

were  all  fearfully  troubled ;  but,  praised  be  the  Lord,  they 
never  got  their  wills' upon  us  to  this  day."  * 

Although  Judge  Fell  did  not  coincide  with  the  other 
members  of  his  family,  in  openly  embracing  the  principles 
of  Friends,  yet  he  was  well  affected  towards  them,  used  his 
authority  for  their  protection,  and  for  several  years  before  his 
death  ceased  to  attend  the  national  worship.  Meetings  con- 
tinued to  be  held  at  his  house  until  a  meeting-house  was 
erected  there. 

•  Swarthmore,  being  much  frequented  by  George  Fox  and 
his  Friends,  became  noted  as  their  head-quarters,  in  Lan- 
cashire. The  number  of  these  guests  was  so  great  that  the 
judge,  though  much  inclined  to  hospitality,  became  somewhat 
alarmed.  Coming  home  one  day,  he  found  his  shed  filled  with 
Friends'  horses,  which,  by  his  wife's  orders,  had  been  removed 
thither,  to  make  room  in  the  stables  for  her  husband's  horses. 
He  remarked,  that  he  feared  they  would  be  eaten  out  by  this 
continual  influx  of  company.  She  pleasantly  replied,  that 
"  Charity  doth  not  impoverish,  and  she  fully  believed  that 
when  the  year  was  at  an  end,  they  would  have  no  cause  to 
regret  their  hospitality."  This  opinion  was  fully  verified  by 
the  result,  for  that  year  their  stock  of  hay  was  not  only  suffi- 
cient for  themselves,  but  they  had  a  large  surplus  to  sell.f 

Among  those  convinced  by  the  ministry  of  George  Fox,  in 
the  family  of  Judge  Fell,  were  Thomas  Salthouse,  William 
Caton,  and  Ann  Clayton,  all  of  whom  became  ministers  in 
the  Society  of  Friends. 

Thomas  Salthouse,  during  a  period  of  thirty-eight  years, 
was  an  active  labourer  in  his  master's  cause,  and  after  suffer- 
ing frequent  imprisonments  and  much  abuse,  which  he  bore 
with  Christian  patience,  he  laid  down  his  head  in  peace. 

William  Caton,  when  he  first  met  with  George  Fox,  was  a 
youth  who  had  not  yet  left  school,  but  was  well  advanced  in 
his  studies.  As  his  mind  became  more  deeply  impressed  with 

*  M.  Fox's  Testimony,  Journal  of  George  Fox.         f  Sewel,  I.  104. 


NOTICE   OF  WILLIAM   CATON.  101 

religious  concern,  his  Latin  exercises  became  burdensome  to 
him,  and  he  could  not  give  the  master  of  the  school  the  usual 
compliments  which  were  required.  Being  thus  brought  into 
a  strait,  Margaret  Fell  obtained  for  him  the  privilege  of 
remaining  at  home,  where  he  was  employed  in  writing,  and 
teaching  her  children. 

When  about  17  years  of  age,  being  earnestly  devoted  to  his 
religious  duties,  he  felt  himself  called  to  preach  repentance  to 
the  people,  at  markets,  and  other  places  of  public  resort,  for 
which  he  was  often  rewarded  with  opprobrium  and  abuse.  At 
18  years  of  age,  he  took  leave  of  Judge  Fell's  family,  and 
visited  his  friends  in  the  northern  counties  of  England. 
Afterwards  he  came  to  London,  where  he  was  well  received  by 
the  Friends,  and  being  of  a  persuasive  address,  he  found  an 
opening  among  others  for  the  exercise  of  his  gift  in  the  minis- 
try. He  travelled  much  in  the  service  of  the  gospel,  in  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  France,  and  more  especially  in  Holland,  where 
he  died  in  the  year  1665,  having  been  instrumental  in  bring- 
ing many  to  the  knowledge  of  heavenly  truth. 

During  one  of  the  visits  of  George  Fox  at  Swarthmore,  he 
met  with  four  or  five  clergymen.  He  thus  relates  the  conver- 
sation that  ensued :  I  asked  them,  "  Whether  any  one  of  them 
could  say  he  ever  had  the  word  of  the  Lord,  to  go  and  speak 
to  such  and  such  a  people?"  None  of  them  durst  say  he 
had ;  but  one  of  them  burst  into  a  passion  and  said,  "  He 
could  speak  his  experiences  as  well  as  I."  "I  told  him  ex- 
perience was  one  thing ;  but  to  receive  and  go  with  a  message, 
and  to  have  a  word  from  the  Lord,  as  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles had,  and  as  I  had  had  to  them,  was  another  thing.  And 
therefore  I  put  it  to  them  again.  "  Could  any  one  of  them 
say,  he  ever  had  a  command  or  word  from  the  Lord,  immedi- 
ately at  any  time  ?"  But  none  of  them  could  say  so.  Then 
I  told  them,  the  false  prophets,  false  apostles,  and  anti-christs, 
could  use  the  words  of  the  true  prophets,  true  apostles,  and 
of  Christ,  and  would  speak  of  other  men's  experiences,  though 
themselves  never  knew  nor  heard  the  voice  of  God  and  Christ : 


102  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

and  such  as  they  might  get  the  good  words  and  experiencees 
of  others."*     *     *     * 

"  At  another  time,  when  I  was  discoursing  with  several 
priests  at  Judge  Fell's  house,  and  he  was  by,  I  asked  them  the 
same  questions,  "  Whether  any  of  them  ever  heard  the  voice 
of  God,  or  of  Christ  to  bid  them  go  to  such  or  such  a  people, 
to  declare  his  word  or  message  unto  them?"  for  any  one,  I 
told  them,  that  could  but  read,  might  declare  the  experiences 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  which  were  recorded  in  the 
scriptures.  Hereupon  Thomas  Taylor,  an  ancient  priest,  did 
ingenuously  confess  before  Judge  Fell,  "  that  he  had  never 
heard  the  voice  of  God,  nor  of  Christ  to  send  him  to  any 
people,  but  he  spoke  his  experiences,  and  the  experiences  of 
the  saints  in  former  ages,  and  that  he  preached.  This  very 
much  confirmed  Judge  Fell  in  the  persuasion  '  that  the  priests 
were  wrong ;'  for  he  had  thought  formerly,  as  the  generality 
of  people  then  did,  "  That  they  were  sent  from  God." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Able  coadjutors  of  George  Fox — Several  clergymen  convinced — The 
clergy  instigate  persecution — At  Ulverstone  George  Fox  is  abused  by 
the  people — His  wonderful  recovery — His  conversation  with  a  sol- 
dier— He  and  James  Naylor  cruelly  beaten  at  Walney — Judge  Fell 
issues  warrants  to  apprehend  the  rioters — Magnanimity  of  George 
Fox — At  Lancaster  assizes  he  contends  with  the  priest — Is  victori- 
ous— Epistle  of  George  Fox. 

1652. 

GEORGE  Fox  now  found  himself  supported  by  a  number 
of  faithful  and  able  coadjutors,  men  of  respectable  standing 
in  society, — noted  for  their  intelligence  and  moral  worth,  who 
became  willing  to  suffer  contumely,  reproach,  imprisonment, 
and  death  for  "  the  word  of  God,  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ."  In  addition  to  those  already  mentioned,  may  be 


NOTICE   OP   THOMAS   TAYLOR.  103 

noted  the  names  of  Leonard  Fell  of  Becliff,  a  brother  of  the 
judge ;  Thomas  Lawson,  clergyman  of  Ramside,  Thomas  Taylor 
a  clergyman,  his  brother  Christopher  Taylor,  Richard  Hub- 
berthorn,  Miles  Halhead,  and  Robert  Widders. 

Most  of  these  became  ministers  in  the  society  of  Friends, 
and  many  meetings  were  settled  in  Yorkshire,  Westmoreland, 
Lancashire,  Durham,  and  Cumberland.  A  number  of  clergy- 
men who  were  convinced  of  the  principles  of  Friends,  being 
afterwards  called  to  a  free  gospel  ministry,  not  only  renounced 
the  arrears  due  them  for  their  clerical  services,  but  in  some 
instances  refunded,  as  far  as  they  were  able,  the  compensation 
formerly  received. 

Thomas  Taylor  was  convinced  during  the  conversation  which 
he  and  other  clergymen  had  with  George  Fox,  in  the  presence 
of  Judge  Fell,  at  Swarthmore.  George  relates  in  his  journal, 
that  Thomas  travelled  with  him  into  Westmoreland.  "  Coming 
to  Crossland  steeple-house,"  he  says,  "we  found  the  people 
gathered:  and  the  Lord  opened  Thomas  Taylor's  mouth, 
(though  he  was  convinced  but  the  day  before)  so  that  he 
declared  amongst  them  *  how  he  had  been  before  he  was  con- 
vinced,' and,  like  the  good  scribe  converted  to  the  kingdom, 
he  brought  forth  things  new  and  old  to  the  people,  and  showed 
them  'how  the  priests  were  out  of  the  way,'  which  fretted  the 
priest.  Some  little  discourse  I  had  with  them,  but  they  fled 
away ;  and  a  precious  meeting  there  was,  wherein  the  Lord's 
power  was  over  all,  and  the  people  were  directed  to  the  spirit 
of  God,  by  which  they  might  come  to  know  God  and  Christ, 
and  to  understand  the  scriptures  aright.  After  this  I  passed 
on,  visiting  Friends,  and  had  very  large  meetings  in  West- 
moreland." 

On  his  return  to  Lancashire,  the  same  year,  he  went  to  the 
house  of  Lampit,  the  priest  of  Ulverstone,  where  he  found 
many  of  the  priests  and  professors,  with  whom  he  had  much 
controversy  concerning  Christ  and  the  scriptures.  He  re- 
marks, that  "  The  Lord's  power  went  over  the  heads  of  them 
all,  and  his  word  of  life  was  held  forth  amongst  them ;  though 


104  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   F|X. 

many  of  them  were  exceeding  envious  and  devilish."  "Yet 
after  this,  many  priests  and  professors  came  to  me  from  far 
and  near.  Those  that  were  innocent  and  simple-minded  were 
satisfied,  and  went  away  refreshed ;  but  the  fat  and  full  were 
fed  with  judgment,  and  sent  away  empty :  for  that  was  the 
word  of  the  Lord  to  be  divided  unto  them." 

When  Friends'  meetings  were  established,  and  they  met  in 
private  houses,  Lampit  became  exasperated,  and  said,  "  They 
forsook  the  temple,  and  went  to  Jeroboam's  calves-houses." 
Hereupon  George  Fox  explained  the  matter  to  the  people, 
showing  that  the  old  mass-houses,  which  were  set  up  in  the 
darkness  of  popery,  and  were  since  occupied  by  the  Protes- 
tants, were  more  like  Jeroboam's  calves-houses ;  for  the  primi- 
tive Christians,  who  often  met  in  private  houses,  were  told 
that  "  their  bodies  were  the  temples  of  God,  and  the  believers 
were  the  church,  which  Christ  was  the  head  of.  So  that 
Christ  was  not  called  the  head  of  an  old  house,  which  was 
made  by  men's  hands,  neither  did  he  come  to  purchase,  sanc- 
tify, and  redeem  with  his  blood,  an  old  house,  which  they 
called  the  church,  but  the  people  which  he  is  the  head  of." 

The  doctrines  of  George  Fox  being  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  whole  system  of  priestly  domination,  soon  drew  upon  him 
the  vengeance  of  the  clergy,  who  instigated  the  magistrates 
and  people  to  a  severe  persecution. 

Having  come  to  Ulverstone,  he  went  on  a  lecture-day  to  the 
parish  house  of  worship,  and  he  thus  relates  in  his  Journal 
the  scene  that  ensued :  "  I  went  near  to  priest  Lampit,  who 
was  blustering  on  in  his  preaching.  After  the  Lord  had 
opened  my  mouth  to  speak,  John  Sawry,  the  justice,  came  to 
me, .and  said,  '  If  I  would  speak  according  to  the  scriptures,  I 
should  speak.'  I  admired  at  him  for  speaking  so  to  me,  and  told 
him  I  would  speak  according  to  the  scriptures,  and  bring  the 
scriptures  to  prove  what  I  had  to  say ;  for  I  had  something  to 
speak  to  Lampit  and  to  them.  Then  he  said,  I  should  not 
speak ;  contradicting  himself,  who  had  said  just  before,  '  I 
should  speak  if  I  would  speak  according  to  the  scriptures.' 


GEORGE  FOX'S  CRUEL  TREATMENT.         105 

The  people  were  quiet,  and  heard  me  gladly,  till  this  Justice 
Sawry  (who  was  the  first  stirrer-up  of  cruel  persecution  in  the 
north)  incensed  them  against  me,  and  set  them  on  to  hale, 
beat  and  abuse  me.  But  now  on  a  sudden  the  people  were  in 
a  rage,  and  fell  upon  me  in  the  steeple-house  before  his  face, 
knocked  me  down,  kicked  me,  and  trampled  upon  me.  So 
great  was  the  uproar,  that  some  tumbled  over  their  seats  for 
fear.  At  last  he  came  and  took  me  from  the  people,  led  me 
out  of  the  steeple-house  and  put  me  into  the  hands  of  the 
constables  and  other  officers ;  bidding  them  whip  me,  and  put 
me  out  of  the  town.  They  led  me  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
some  taking  hold  of  my  collar,  some  by  my  arms  and  shoul- 
ders, who  shook  and  dragged  me  along.  Many  friendly  people 
being  come  to  the  market,  and  some  to  the  steeple-house  to 
hear  me,  divers  of  these  they  knocked  down  also,  and  broke 
their  heads,  so  that  the  blood  ran  down  from  several;  and 
Judge  Fell's  son  running  after  to  see  what  they  would  do  with 
me,  they  threw  him  into  a  ditch  of  water,  some  of  them 
crying,  '  Knock  the  teeth  out  of  his  head.'  When  they  had 
haled  me  to  the  common  moss  side,  a  multitude  following,  the 
constables  and  other  officers  gave  me  some  blows  over  my 
back  with  their  willow  rods,  and  thrust  me  among  the  rude 
multitude,  who,  having  furnished  themselves  with  staves, 
hedge-stakes,  holm  or  holly  bushes,  fell  upon  me  and  beat  me 
on  my  head,  arms  and  shoulders  till  they  had  deprived  me  of 
sense,  so  that  I  fell  down  upon  the  wet  common. 

"  When  I  recovered  again,  and  found  myself  lying  upon  a 
watery  common,  and  the  people  standing  about  me,  I  lay  still 
a  little  while,  and  the  power  of  the  Lord  sprang  through  me, 
and  the  eternal  refreshings  revived  me ;  so  that  I  stood  up 
again  in  the  strengthening  power  of  the  eternal  God,  and 
stretching  out  my  arms  amongst  them,  I  said,  with  a  loud 
voice,  '  Strike  again,  here  are  my  arms,  my  head,  and  my 
cheeks.'  There  was  in  the  company  a  mason,  a  professor,  but 
a  rude  fellow,  who,  with  his  walking  rule-staff,  gave  me  a  blow 


106  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

with  all  his  might  just  over  the  back  of  my  hand  as  it  was 
stretched  out ;  with  which  blow  my  hand  was  so  bruised,  and 
my  arm  so  benumbed,  that  I  could  not  draw  it  to  me  again ; 
so  that  some  of  the  people  cried,  '  He  hath  spoiled  his  hand 
forever.'  But  I  looked  at  it  in  the  love  of  God,  (for  I  was  in 
the  love  of  God  to  all  that  persecuted  me,)  and  after  a  while 
the  Lord's  power  sprang  through  me  again,  and  through  my 
hand  and  arm,  so  that  in  a  moment  I  recovered  strength  in 
my  hand  and  arm  in  the  sight  of  them  all." 

This  barbarous  treatment,  being  borne  with  Christian  meek- 
ness, induced  a  feeling  of  sympathy  on  the  part  of  some,  so 
that  the  crowd  began  to  differ  among  themselves ;  and  George 
Fox,  after  "  declaring  the  word  of  life  to  the  people,  and 
showing  them  that  their  unchristian  conduct  was  the  fruit  of 
their  priests'  false  ministry,  passed  on  his  way  to  Ulverstone 
market.  As  he  went,  he  was  met  by  a  soldier  with  a  sword 
by  his  side,  who  said,  "  Sir,  I  see  you  are  a  man,  and  I  am 
ashamed  and  grieved  that  you  should  be  thus  abused."  This 
soldier,  seeing  the  market -people  abusing  some  Friends,  en- 
deavoured to  arrest  it,  and  stepped  in  among  them  with  his 
naked  rapier ;  but  George  Fox,  being  apprehensive  that  mis- 
chief would  ensue,  requested  him  to  put  up  his  sword  and  go 
with  him.  Some  days  after,  several  men  fell  upon  the  soldier 
and  beat  him  cruelly,  for  the  part  he  had  taken  in  protecting 
the  Friends. 

When  George  Fox,  in  a  suffering  condition,  arrived  at 
Swarthmore  Hall,  he  found  the  Friends  there  busily  engaged 
in  dressing  the  wounds  of  others  who  had  been  with  him  at 
Ulverstone. 

About  two  weeks  afterwards,  accompanied  by  James  Naylor 
he  went  to  Walney,  a  small  island  in  the  Irish  Sea,  near  the 
coast  of  Lancashire.  Before  leaving  the  main-land,  they  staid 
one  night  at  the  little  town  of  Cocken,  where  they  had  a  meet- 
ing, which  was  disturbed  by  a  man  with  a  pistol,  who  snapped 
it  at  George  Fox,  but  it  would  not  go  off.  George  reproved 


FURTHER  ILL 'TREATMENT.         107 

the  intruder,  speaking  to  him  with  gospel  authority,  which 
caused  him  to  tremble  and  leave  the  apartment. 

Next  morning,  they  went  in  a  boat  to  James  Lancaster's, 
who  appears  to  have  been  a  Friend  residing  on  the  island. 
On  landing,  George  Fox  was  immediately  assailed  by  about 
forty  men,  provided  with  staves,  clubs,  and  fishing-poles,  who 
knocked  him  down  and  stunned  him  so  that  he  fell  into  a 
swoon.  When  he  revived,  he  saw  James  Lancaster's  wife 
throwing  stones  at  his  face,  and  her  husband  lying  over  him 
to  protect  him.  The  deluded  woman  had  been  persuaded  by 
the  people  that  her  husband  was  bewitched  by  George  Fox, 
and  they  had  promised  her  that  they  would  put  him  to -death 
if  she  would  only  inform  them  when  he  came  thither.  At 
length  he  got  upon  his  feet  and  reached  the  boat,  which  James 
Lancaster  entered  soon  after  and  took  him  back  to  the  main 
land.  On  arriving  at  Cocken,  the  people  met  him  with  pitch- 
forks, flails  and  staves,  to  keep  him  out  of  the  town,  crying, 
'  Kill  him,  knock  him  on  the  head,  bring  the  cart  and  carry 
him  away  to  the  church-yard  !'  After  they  had  driven  him 
some  distance  from  the  town,  they  left  him. 

In  the  mean  time,  James  Naylor,  having  walked  into  a  field, 
was  also  attacked  by  the  people  of  Walney,  who  fell  upon  him 
with  great  violence,  crying,  'Kill  him !  kill  him  !'  James  Lan- 
caster immediately  returned  for  him  with  the  boat,  and 
George  Fox,  having  washed  himself  at  a  ditch,  walked  three 
miles  to  Thomas  Hutton's,  where  lodged  Thomas  Lawson,  a 
clergyman  who  had  been  convinced  of  Friends'  principles. 
George  could  scarcely  speak,  but  he  succeeded  in  making  them 
acquainted  with  the  peril  of  James  Naylor,  for  whom  they 
immediately  went  with  horses,  and  brought  him  that  night. 

The  next  day  Margaret  Fell,  hearing  of  the  condition  of 
George  Fox,  sent  a  horse  for  him,  but  so  sorely  was  he  bruised, 
that  not  without  great  suffering  could  he  reach  Swarthmore. 
The  two  persecuting  justices,  Sawry  and  Thompson,  granted  a 
warrant  against  him ;  but  Judge  Fell,  who  had  been  absent, 
having  now  returned  home,  prevented  its  execution  and  sent 


108  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

warrants  into  the  Isle  of  Walney  to  apprehend  the  rioters. 
Some  of  them  fled  from  the  country,  and  others  repented  of 
the  evil  they  had  done:  among  the  latter  was  the  wife  of 
James  Lancaster,  who  was  afterwards  convinced  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  Friends. 

Judge  Fell  desired  George  Fox  to  give  him  a  relation  of  the 
persecution  he  had  suffered,  but  George  declined  to  give  the 
information,  saying,  "  They  could  do  no  otherwise  in  the  spirit 
wherein  they  were,  and  that  they  manifested  the  fruits  of 
their  priest's  ministry."  The  judge  afterward  remarked  to 
his  wife  that  "  George  Fox  spoke  of  it  as  a  man  that  was  not 
concerned." 

Notwithstanding  these  sufferings  to  which  he  was  subjected, 
the  priests  and  their  adherents  were  not  yet  satisfied,  and 
having  marshalled  all  their  forces,  they  determined  to  prose- 
cute him  at  the  Lancaster  assizes.  He,  being  aware  that  the 
warrant  issued  against  him  by  the  justices  Sawry  and  Thomp- 
son, was  still  in  force,  though  not  yet  served  upon  him,  con- 
cluded to  attend  the  assizes  and  meet  his  accusers  face  to  face. 
He  went  in  company  with  Judge  Fell,  who  remarked  to  him 
by  the  way,  that  he  never  had  such  a  case  brought  before  him, 
and  knew  not  how  to  dispose  of  it. 

"  When  Paul  was  brought  before  the  rulers,"  said  George, 
"  and  the  Jews  and  priests  came  down  to  accuse  him,  and  laid 
many  false  things  to  his  charge,  Paul  stood  still  all  that  while. 
When  they  had  done,  Festus,  the  governor,  and  king  Agrippa, 
beckoned  to  him  to  speak  for  himself,  which  Paul  did,  and 
cleared  himself  of  all  those  accusations ;  and  so  mayst  thou 
do  by  me." 

When  he  arrived  at  Lancaster,  he  found  about  forty  clergy- 
men arrayed  against  him.  They  had  chosen  for  their  orator, 
Marshall,  one  of  their  own  order,  and  had  provided,  as  wit- 
nesses, a  young  priest  and  two  clergymen's  sons,  who  had 
taken  their  oaths  that  he  had  spoken  blasphemy.  When  the 
court  examined  these  men,  they  were  so  confounded  that  they 
soon  proved  themselves  to  be  false  witnesses.  One  of  them 


GEORGE'S  SUCCESSFUL  DEFENCE.  109 

having  been  questioned,  they  began  to  examine  a  second,  who 
became  confused,  and  being  at  a  loss/  answered  that  "  the 
other  could  say  it."  "What,"  said  the  judge,  "have  you 
sworn  it,  and  given  it  in  already  upon  oath,  and  now  say  that 
he  can  say  it  ?  It  seems  that  you  did  not  hear  those  words 
spoken  yourself,  though  you  have  sworn  it."  There  were,  in 
court,  several  men  of  integrity  and  good  reputation,  who  had 
been  at  the  meeting  where  the  blasphemous  expressions  were 
alleged  to  have  been  spoken,  but  they,  on  the  contrary,  testi- 
fied that  no  such  words  were  spoken  by  George  Fox,  and  that 
the  accusation  was  altogether  false.  Then  Col.  West,  a  justice 
of  the  peace,  being  on  the  bench,  turned  to  George  Fox,  and 
said,  "  George,  if  thou  hast  anything  to  say,  thou  mayst  freely 
declare  it." 

Being  thus  called  upon,  and  impelled  also  by  a  sense  of 
religious  duty,  he  declared,  "  That  the  holy  scriptures  were 
given  forth  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  all  people  must  first 
come  to  the  Spirit  of  God  in  themselves,  by  which  they  might 
know  God  and  Christ,  of  whom  the  prophets  and  apostles 
learnt ;  and  by  the  same  spirit  know  the  holy  scriptures ; 
for,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  was  in  them  that  gave  forth  the 
scriptures,  so  the  same  spirit  must  be  in  all  them  that  came  to 
understand  the  scriptures.  By  which  spirit  they  might  have 
fellowship  with  the  Father,  with  the  Son,  with  the  scriptures, 
and  with  one  another ;  and  without  this  spirit,  they  can  know 
neither  God,  Christ,  nor  the  scriptures,  nor  have  a  right  fel- 
lowship one  with  another." 

No  sooner  had  he  begun  to  speak  than  Marshall,  the  clerical 
orator,  left  the  court ;  and  when  the  defence  was  concluded, 
some  others  of  the  priests  expressed  their  anger  in  unbecoming 
language.  One  of  them,  whose  name  was  Jackus,  said  that 
the  spirit  and  the  letter  were  inseparable.  George  Fox  re- 
plied,'"Then  every  one  that  hath  the  letter,  hath  the  spirit^ 
and  they  might  buy  the  spirit  with  the  letter  of  the  scriptures." 
This  induced  Judge  Fell  and  Colonel  West  to  reprove  them 
sharply,  saying,  "According  to  that  position,  they  might 
carry  the  spirit  in  their  pockets,  as  they  did  the  scriptures." 


110  LIFE   OP  GEORGE   FOX. 

The  judges,  seeing  that  the  witnesses  for  the  prosecution 
did  not  agree,  and  being  convinced  that  the  accusation  sprang 
from  malice,  discharged  George  Fox,  and  granted  a  superse- 
deas  to  stop  the  execution  of  the  warrant  that  had  been  issued 
against  him. 

This  was  considered  a  great  triumph  over  the  priests. 
"Multitudes  of  people,"  says  George  Fox,  in  his  Journal, 
"  praised  God,  that  day,  for  it  was  a  joyful  day  to  many. 
Justice  Benson,  of  Westmoreland,  was  convinced ;  and  Major 
Ripan,  mayor  of  the  town  of  Lancaster,  also."  "It  was  a 
day  of  everlasting  salvation  to  hundreds  of  people ;  for  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  way  to  the  Father,  the  free  teacher, 
was  exalted  and  set  up ;  his  everlasting  gospel  was  preached, 
and  the  word  of  eternal  life  was  declared  over  the  heads  of 
priests,  and  all  such  lucrative  preachers.  For  the  Lord 
opened  many  mouths  that  day  to  speak  his  word  to  the 
priests,  and  several  friendly  people  and  professors  reproved 
them  in  their  inns,  and  in  the  streets,  so  that  they  fell,  like  an 
old  rotten  house ;  and  the  cry  was  among  the  people,  that  the 
Quakers  had  got  the  day,  and  the  priests  were  fallen.  Many 
were  convinced  that  day,  amongst  whom  Thomas  Briggs  was 
one,  who  before  had  been  so  averse  to  Friends  and  truth,  that, 
discoursing  with  John  Lawson,  a  Friend,  concerning  perfec- 
tion, Thomas  said  to  him,  *  Dost  thou  hold  perfection  ?'  and 
lifted  up  his  hand  to  give  the  Friend  a  box  on  the  ear.  But 
Thomas  being  convinced  of  the  truth  that  day,  declared 
against  his  own  priest  Jackus ;  and  afterward  became  a  faith- 
ful minister  of  the  gospel,  and  stood  to  the  end  of  his  days." 

•The  priests,  though  discomfited,  were  not  subdued ;  they 
determined  to  renew  the  attack,  and  having  gained  the  assist- 
ance of  some  persecuting  justices,  they  informed  Judge 
Windham  against  him.  At  the  following  assize,  this  judge 
made  a  speech,  in  open  court,  against  George  Fox,  and  com- 
manded Colonel  West,  who  was  clerk  of  the  assize,  to  issue  a 
warrant  for  his  apprehension.  The  clerk  assured  the  judge 
that  George  was  innocent,  and  spoke  boldly  in  his  defence. 


GEORGE  ACCUSED  OF  WITCHCRAFT.         Ill 

The  judge  replied  by  commanding  him  to  write  the  warrant, 
or  leave  his  seat,  but  he  refused  to  comply,  saying,  "He 
would  ofier  up  his  whole  estate,  and  his  body  also,  for  George 
Fox."  The  resolute  behaviour  of  Colonel  West  arrested  the 
proceedings  in  this  case,  although  George  Fox,  hearing  of  the 
intended  prosecution,  had  again  come  to  Lancaster,  to  meet 
his  accusers.  On  his  arrival,  he  went  immediately  to  the 
chambers  of  Judge  Fell  and  Colonel  West.  The  Colonel  met 
him  with  a  smile,  and  said,  "  What !  are  you  come  into  the 
dragon's  mouth?" 

In  order  to  excite  the  populace  against  him,  his  adversaries 
raised  and  propagated  the  most  absurd  reports  :  as  for  exam- 
ple, "  That  neither  water  would  drown  him,  nor  could  blood 
be  drawn  from  him,  and  therefore  he  must  be  a  witch." 
"But  the  Lord's  power,"  he  says,  "carried  me  over  all  their 
slanderous  tongues,  and  bloody,  murderous  spirits ;  who  had 
the  ground  of  witchcraft  in  themselves,  which  kept  them  from 
coming  to  God  and  to  Christ." 

Throughout  these  oppressive  proceedings,  instigated  chiefly 
by  a  mercenary  priesthood,  who  were  alarmed  by  the  deser- 
tion of  their  hearers,  George  Fox  maintained  his  innocence 
and  manifested  his  meekness.  He  did  not  attribute  his  deliv- 
erance to  his  own  abilities,  but  to  the  protecting  power  and 
providence  of  God,  who  sent  him  forth  on  his  mission  of 
love  as  a  lamb  among  wolves,  but  nevertheless  stood  near  to 
deliver  him  from  the  hand  of  the  spoiler. 

About  this  time,  he  wrote  many  epistles,  which  are  yet 
extant  in  his  works. 

Two  of  them  are  addressed  to  his  adversaries,  justice  Sawry 
and  priest  Lampit,  expostulating  with  them  for  their  wicked 
conduct,  and  anti-christian  spirit :  two  are  directed  to  the 
people  of  Ulverstone,  exhorting  them  to  prize  their  time  and 
turn  to  Christ  the  light  of  the  world;  and  most  of  the 
others  are  addressed  to  those  who  had  been  convinced  through 
his  ministry. 

Some  selections  from  these  epistles  "  To  Friends,"  are  here 


112  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

subjoined.  The  first  appears  to  have  been  intended  to  guard 
them,  against  the  false  doctrine  of  the  Ranters,  who  held,  that 
believers  in  Christ  are  justified,  even  while  living  in  unright- 
eousness. 

"  FRIENDS  : — No  one  is  justified,  breaking  the  commands 
of  Christ ;  no  one  is  justified,  living  in  iniquity ;  and  no  one 
is  justified  in  professing  only  Christ's  words,  and  the  prophets' 
and  apostles'  words,  and  living  out  of  their  lives :  and  no  one 
is  justified  living  in  the  first  birth  and  nature,  and  false  faith 
and  hope,  which  doth  not  purify,  as  God  is  pure.  No  man  is 
justified  not  believing  in  the  light,  as  Christ  commands,  but 
with  the  light  is  condemned ;  for  the  light  is  the  condemnation 
of  all  that  walk  contrary  to  it :  therefore  the  power  of  God, 
mind.  No  man  is  justified  acting  contrary  to  the  spirit  which 
doth  convince  them. 

GEORGE  Fox.* 

The  next  epistle  evidently  refers  to  the  warlike  spirit  then 
prevailing,  even  among  the  professors  of  religion,  and  points 
out  the  peaceable  nature  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

"  FRIENDS  : — That  which  is  set  up  by  the  sword,  is  held  up 
by  the  sword ;  and  that  which  is  set  up  by  spiritual  weapons, 
is  held  up  by  spiritual  weapons,  and  not  by  carnal  weapons. 
The  peace-maker  hath  the  kingdom,  and  is  in  it ;  and  hath  the 
dominion  over  the  peace-breaker,  to  calm  him  in  the  power  of 
God.  "  And  Friends,  let  the  waves  break  over  your  heads. 
There  is  rising  a  new  and  living  way  out  of  the  North,  which 
makes  the  nations  like  waters.  '  Hurt  not  the  vines  nor  the 
oil,'  nor  such  as  know  that  '  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the 
fulness  thereof.'  The  days  of  virtue,  love  and  peace,  are 
come  and  coming,  and  the  Lamb  had  and  hath  the  kings  of  the 
earth  to  war  withal,  who  will  overcome  with  the  sword  of  the 
Bpirit,  the  word  of  his  mouth ;  for  the  Lamb  shall  have  the 

victory 

GEORGE  Fox.f 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  Vol.  VII.  p.  19.  f  Ibid.  Vol.  VII.  p.  20. 


GEORGE   FOX'S   EPISTLE.  113 

'  To  the  Church  of  God  in  Lancashire. 

FRIENDS  : — Every  one  in  particular,  who  are  of  God  and 
not  of  the  world,  walk  out  of  the  world's  vain  customs,  ordi- 
nances and  commands  ;  and  stand  a  witness  against  them  all, 
in  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  and  witness  him  the  substance  of 
all,  waiting  in  the  light  of  God,  and  walking  in  it,  then  will 
ye  have  unity  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
will  cleanse  you  of  all  sin ;  for  through  it  and  by  it  we  do 
overcome ;  which  blood  of  the  new  covenant  is  but  one.  There 
shall  ye  witness  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  takes  away  the  sins 
of  the  world.  Oh !  wait  all,  in  that  which  is  pure,  to  be  fed 
alone  of  God,  with  the  eternal  living  food  !  Go  not  out  among 
the  swine,  who  feed  upon  the  outside,  the  husk,  among  the 
merchants  of  Babylon,  and  so  forsake  the  living  bread ;  but 
as  ye  have  received  Christ  Jesus,  in  him  walk,  that  ye  may 
all  honour  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  adorn  his  gospel.  And 
be  famous  in  his  light,  and  bold  in  his  strength,  which  will 
carry  you  above  the  world,  and  above  all  the  deceits  of  it. 
Oh,  in  love  watch  over  one  another  for  good,  and  for  the  better 
and  not  for  the  worse  !  And  dwell  in  that  which  is  pure  of 
God  in  you,  lest  your  thoughts  get  forth ;  and  then  evil  thoughts 
get  up,  and  surmising  one  against  another,  which  ariseth  out 
of  the  veiled  mind,  which  darkens  the  pure  discerning.  But 
as  ye  dwell  in  that  which  is  of  God,  it  guides  you  up  out  of  the 
elementary  life,  and  out  of  the  mortal  into  the  immortal, 
(which  is  hid  from  all  the  fleshly  ones)  where  is  peace  and  joy 
eternal,  to  all  that  can  witness  the  new  birth.  Babes  in  Christ, 
born  again  of  the  immortal  seed,  in  it  wait,  my  life  is  with 
you  iu  perfect  unity ;  bow  down  to  nothing  but  the  Lord  God. 
Satan  would  have  had  Christ  to  have  bowed  down,  but  he 
would  not ;  the  same  seed  now,  the  same  birth  born  in  you 
now,  which  is  the  same  to-day,  yesterday  and  forever.  The 
tempter  will  come  to  you ;  and  if  you  look  forth  and  hearken 
to  his  words,  and  let  them  in,  then  ye  bow  down  under  him, 
and  worship  him.  But  I  say  unto  you,  and  charge  you  in  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  mind  the  pure  seed  of  God  in  you,  and 
8 


114  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  mighty  power  of  God,  will  cherish  you  up  to  the  Lord  God 
above  all  the  temptations,  not  to  bow  down  to  any  thing ;  but 
feeding  upon  the  immortal  food,  ye  will  feel  yourselves  sup- 
ported, and  carried  over  him  by  your  Father  and  your  God, 
who  is  over  all  blessed  forever  !  Who  is  the  virtue  of  all 
creatures,  the  wisdom  of  all  things ;  all  holy  praises  be  unto 
the  holy  glorious  Lord  God  forever  ! 

GEORGE  Fox.* 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Prediction  concerning  the  Long  Parliament — Views  on  Prophecy  and 
Miracles — Convincement  of  A.  Pearson — Letter  from  him — Journey 
to  Cumberland — Controversy  with  a  Priest — Meetings  at  Cocker- 
mouth,  Bingham,  and  Carlisle — Imprisonment  of  George  Fox  at  Car- 
lisle— Is  beaten  by  the  Jailor — Sings  while  beaten — Challenge  to  his 
persecutor — Cromwell's  Parliament — Liberation  of  George  Fox — 
Convincement  of  J.  Parnel  and  John  Stubbs — Ministry  of  John 
Stubbs  and  S.  Fisher — Their  visit  to  Home — George  Fox  on  Perfec- 
tion— His  account  of  Friends'  prosperity — Convincement  of  George 
Whitehead  and  John  Burnyeat. 

1653. 

GEORGE  Fox,  in  the  spring  of  1653,  after  visiting  the  meet- 
ings of  Friends  in  Lancashire,  returned  to  Swarthmore.  About 
this  time  he  writes  in  his  Journal,  "  Great  openings  I  had  from 
the  Lord,  not  only  of  divine  and  spiritual  matters,  but  also  of 
outward  things  relating  to  the  civil  government.  Being  one  day 
at  Swarthmore  Hall,  when  Judge  Fell  and  Justice  Benson  were 
talking  of  the  news,  and  of  the  parliament  then  sitting,  (called 
the  long-parliament,)  I  was  moved  to  tell  them,  '  Before  that 
day  two  weeks  the  parliament  should  be  broken  up  and  the 
speaker  plucked  out  of  his  chair ;'  and  that  day  two  weeks, 
Justice  Benson  told  Judge  Fell  that  now  he  saw  George  was 
a  true  prophet;  for  Oliver  had  broken  up  the  parliament." 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  Vol.  VII.  p.  23. 


PROPHECIES   AND   MIRACLES.  115 

It  is  possible  that  a  doubt  may  arise  in  some  minds  concern- 
ing such  premonitions  or  prophecies.  To  such  minds  the  fol- 
lowing considerations  are  offered  for  serious  reflection  : 

It  is  a  fundamental  principle  in  Christian  doctrine,  that  God 
makes  known  his  will  to  man  through  the  impressions  of  his 
grace  or  spirit  in  the  soul,  and  the  experience  of  the  wise  and 
good  in  all  ages  proves  that  the  mind  becomes  increasingly 
susceptible  of  divine  impressions  in  proportion  to  its  obedience 
and  progress  in  the  spiritual  life.  It  is  further  admitted  by 
all  Christians  that  the  omniscience  of  God  includes  the  know- 
ledge of  future  events.  Why  then  should  it  be  thought  unrea- 
sonable that  he  should  at  times,  and  for  special  purposes, 
communicate  a  portion  of  this  knowledge  to  his  servants? 

The  remarkable  fulfilment  of  scripture  prophecies  proves 
conclusively  that  such  divine  communications  have  been  made 
to  men  in  former  ages.  But  it  is  objected,  that  prophecy  has 
ceased  since  the  apostolic  age.  What  evidence  have  we  of 
this  ?  Do  not  nearly  all  Protestants  acknowledge  that  the 
prediction  of  John  Huss,  concerning  the  Reformation,  was  a 
true  prophecy  ?  And  are  there  not  many  well-authenticated 
eases  of  remarkable  premonitions  which  can  be  explained  on 
no  other  principle  than  as  the  effect  of  a  divine  influence  ? 

Another  common  objection  is  founded  on  the  many  false 
prophecies  and  pretended  miracles  by  which  mankind  have 
been  deceived.  This,  however,  does  not  militate  against  the 
belief  that  there  have  been  true  prophecies  and  real  miracles : 
on  the  contrary,  it  supports  this  doctrine,  in  like  manner  as 
the  circulation  of  counterfeit  money  leads  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  is,  or  has  been,  genuine  coin  in  existence.  It  may 
not  be  inappropriate  in  this  place  to  advert  briefly  to  some 
remarkable  cases  of  divine  interposition  related  in  the  Journal 
of  George  Fox.  One  of  them  is  mentioned  in  the  third 
chapter  of  this  work,  where  it  is  stated  that,  being  moved  to 
pray  for  a  sick  man,  who  had  been  given  up  by  his  physician, 
"the  Lord  was  entreated,  and  restored  him  to  health."  An- 
other case  is  related  in  chapter  VII.,  where  George  Fox  being 


116  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

cruelly  beaten,  so  as  to  endanger  the  use  of  his  arm  and  hand, 
he  was,  through  divine  power,  wonderfully  restored.  A  third 
instance  is  thus  related  in  his  Journal  in  the  year  1653: 
"  About  this  time  I  was  in  a  fast  for  about  ten  days,  my  spirit 
being  greatly  exercised  on  Truth's  behalf,  for  James  Milner 
and  Richard  Myer  went  out  into  imaginations,  and  a  company 
followed  them.  This  James  Milner  and  some  of  his  company 
had  true  openings  at  first ;  but  getting  up  into  pride  and  exalta- 
tion of  spirit,  they  ran  out  from  the  truth.  I  was  sent  for 
to  them,  and  was  moved  of  the  Lord  to  go  and  show  them 
their  outgoings ;  and  they  were  brought  to  see  their  folly,  and 
condemned  it,  and  came  into  the  truth  again.  After  some 
time,  I  went  to  a  meeting  at  Arnside,  where  Richard  Myer 
was,  who  had  been  long  lame  of  one  of  his  arms.  I  was 
moved  of  the  Lord  to  say  unto  him,  amongst  all  the  people, 
'  Stand  up  upon  thy  legs,'  for  he  was  sitting  down ;  and  he 
stood  up,  and  stretched  out  his  arm  that  had  been  lame  a  long 
time,  and  said,  '  Be  it  known  unto  you,  all  people,  that  this 
day  I  am  healed.'  Yet  his  parents  could  hardly  believe  it ; 
but  after  the  meeting  was  done,  led  him  aside,  took  off  his 
doublet,  and  then  saw  it  was  true.  He  came,  soon  after,  to 
Swarthmore  meeting,  and  there  declared  how  the  Lord  had 
healed  him."  * 

If  we  admit  that  holy  men  in  any  age  of  the  world  have 
been  made  instruments  in  the  divine  hand  for  the  performance 

*  NOTE. — A  remarkable  case  of  healing  is  related  in  George  Fox's 
Journal,  in  the  year  1683,  vol.  II.  p.  308.  James  Claypole,  of  London, 
being  at  Worminghurst,  the  residence  of  William  Penn,  was  taken  vio- 
lently with  a  fit  of  the  stone,  to  which  he  was  subject.  George  Fox 
went  to  him,  and  after  speaking  "a  few  words  to  turn  his  mind  inward," 
was  moved  to  lay  his  hand  upon  him,  and  pray  the  Lord  to  rebuke  his 
infirmity.  As  his  hand  was  laid  on  him,  the  power  of  the  Lord  went 
through  him  ;  and  by  faith  in  that  power,  he  had  speedy  ease,  so  that 
he  quickly  fell  into  a  sleep.  When  he  awaked,  the  stone  came  from 
him  like  dirt,  and  the  next  day  he  travelled  twenty-five  miles,  although 
in  such  attacks  he  usually  lay  some  weeks. 


THE  PROBABILITY  OF  MIRACLES.          117 

of  such  cures,  there  appears  no  sufficient  reason  to  doubt  that 
George  Fox  was  so  influenced  on  these  occasions. 

There  is  abundant  evidence  that  his  mind  was  enlightened 
by  divine  grace,  and  his  heart  imbued  with  the  love  of  God  in 
a  most  extraordinary  degree.  He  was  the  pioneer  in  almost 
all  the  moral  reforms  that  have  since  claimed  the  attention  of 
enlightened  minds  throughout  Christendom.*  Being  raised  up 
and  fitted  for  a  great  work  among  men,  it  is  not  unreasonable 
to  believe  that  he  would  be  furnished  by  Infinite  Goodness 
with  a  clearness  of  spiritual  vision,  and  a  measure  of  the  divine 
anointing,  commensurate  with  the  importance  of  his  mission. 

But  it  is  objected  against  all  miracles,  that  they  are  contrary 
to  the  laws  of  nature,  and  that  any  suspension  or  abrogation 
of  those  laws,  would  be  an  evidence  of  imperfection  in  the 
order  established  by  Infinite  Wisdom.  To  this  it  may  be  re- 
plied, that  our  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  nature,  though  far 
more  extensive  than  that  of  the  ancients,  is  yet  exceedingly 
limited,  when  compared  with  the  vast  amount  that  is  still 
unknown. 

These  laws  are  deduced  from  a  certain  order  or  succession 
of  causes  and  effects,  many  of  which  are  hidden  from  human 
researches,  and  it  is  impossible  to  assign  any  limits  to  the 
effects  of  divine  grace  and  power,  operating  through  a  soul 
fully  devoted  to  the  service  of  God. 

Matter  is  inert ;  it  cannot  put  itself  in  motion,  and  when  in 
motion,  cannot  cease  to  move  without  a  cause.  All  motion, 
and  all  life,  are  the  results  of  power,  originally  proceeding 
from  the  Divine  Mind.  He  can.  endue  the  minds  of  his  ser- 
vants with  such  a  measure  of  his  power,  as  will  conduce  to  his 
own  purposes,  even  though  it  be  to  control  the  elements. 

The  propagation  of  heavenly  truth,  and  the  extension  of  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom,  are  objects  of  immeasurable  importance. 
Involving,  as  they  do,  the  salvation  of  millions  of  immortal 
souls,  they  are  of  more  consequence  than  all  the  changes  of 
material  things.  Is  it  then  incredible  to  any,  that  Divine 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Testimonies,  at  the  end  of  this  volume. 


118  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

Goodness  should  have  so  far  condescended  to  the  weakness  of 
his  creatures,  as  to  empower  his  servants,  at  certain  great 
epochs  in  the  history  of  the  world,  to  work  miracles  for  the 
confirmation  of  their  missions  and  the  advancement  of  truth  ? 

About  this  time  George  Fox,  being  at  Colonel  West's,  went 
by  invitation  to  Swarthmore  Hall,  to  meet  Anthony  Pearson, 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  had  been  an  opposer  of  Friends. 
The  interview  was  effectual:  his  mind  was  reached  by  the 
Lord's  power,  and  he  became  a  valuable  member  of  the 
Society.  The  following  letter,  without  an  address,  was  writ- 
ten by  him  soon  after  his  convincement,  and  has  been  pre- 
served among  the  Swarthmore  papers  :* 

"  DEAR  FRIEND  : — I  have  long  professed  to  serve  and  wor- 
ship the  true  God,  and  as  I  thought,  above  many  sects, 
attained  to  a  high  pitch  in  religion ;  but  now,  alas  !  I  find  my 
work  will  not  abide  the  fire.  My  notions  were  swelling  vani- 
ties, without  power  or  life :  what  it  was  to  love  enemies,  to 
bless  them  that  curse,  to  render  good  for  evil,  to  use  the  world 
as  using  it  not,  to  lay  down  life  for  the  brethren,  I  never  un- 
derstood ;  what  purity  and  perfection  meant,  I  never  tasted ; 
all  my  religion  was  but  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  the  believing 
and  talking  of  a  God  and  Christ  in  Heaven,  or  a  place  at  a 
distance,  I  knew  not  where.  Oh  !  how  gracious  was  the  Lord 
to  me  in  carrying  me  to  Judge  Fell's,  to  see  the  wonders  of 
his  power  and  wisdom ;  a  family  walking  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  conversing  daily  with  him,  crucified  to  the  world,  and 
living  only  to  God.  I  was  so  confounded,  all  my  knowledge 
and  wisdom  became  folly ;  my  mouth  was  stopped,  my  con- 
science convinced,  and  the  secrets  of  my  heart  were  made 
manifest,  and  that  Lord  was  discovered  to  be  near,  whom  I 
ignorantly  worshipped.  I  could  have  talked  of  Christ  in  the 
saints,  the  hope  of  glory,  but  it  was  a  riddle  to  me.  And 
truly,  dear  friend,  I  must  tell  thee,  I  have  now  lost  all  my 
•religion,  and  am  in  such  distress,  I  have  no  hope  nor  founda- 
tion left.  My  justification  and  assurance  have  forsaken  me, 

*  Barclay's  Letters  of  early  Friends,  No.  III. 


ANTHONY  PEARSON'S  LETTER.  119 

and  I  am  even  like  a  poor  shattered  vessel,  tossed  to  and  fro, 
without  a  pilot  or  rudder,  as  blind,  dead,  and  helpless,  as  thou 
canst  imagine.  I  never  felt  corruption  so  strong,  and  tempta- 
tion so  prevailing,  as  now ;  I  have  a  proud,  hard,  flinty  heart, 
that  cannot  he  sensible  of  my  misery.  When  I  deeply  consider 
how  much  precious  time  I  have  wasted,  and  how  unprofitably 
I  have  lived,  my  spirit  feels  a  sudden  fear;  but  then  I  am 
still  flying  to  my  old  refuge,  and  there  my  thoughts  are 
diverted.  What  it  means  to  wait  upon  God,  I  cannot  appre- 
hend ;  and  the  confusions  in  my  own  spirit,  together  with  the 
continual  temptations  from  without,  are  so  great,  I  cannot 
understand  or  perceive  the  still,  small  voice  of  the  Lord. 
What  thou  told  me  of  George  Fox,  I  found  true :  when  thou 
seest  him  or  James  Nayler — they  both  know  my  condition 
better  than  myself — move  them,  if  neither  of  them  be  drawn 
this  way,  to  help  me  with  their  counsel  by  letter ;  they  are 
full  of  pity  and  compassion,  and  though  I  was  their  enemy, 
they  are  my  friends :  and  so  is1  Francis  Howgill,  from  whom 
I  received  a  letter  full  of  tenderness  and  wholesome  advice. 
Oh !  how  welcome  would  the  faces  of  any  of  them  be  to  me ; 
truly,  I  think  I  could  scorn  the  world,  to  have  fellowship  with 
them.  But  I  find  my  heart  is  full  of  deceit,  and  I  exceed- 
ingly fear  to  be  beguiled,  as  I  have  been,  and  to  be  seduced 
into  a  form  without  power,  into  a  profession  before  I  possess 
the  truth ;  which  will  multiply  my  misery,  and  deprive  me  of 
both  God  and  the  world.  *  *  *  *  I  have  been  at 
Judge  Fell's,  and  have  been  informed  from  that  precious  soul, 
his  consort,  in  some  measure,  what  those  things  mean,  which 
before  I  counted  the  overflowings  of  giddy  brains.  Dear 
heart,  pity  and  pray  for  me ;  and  let  all  obligations  of  former 
friendship  be  discharged  in  well  wishes  to  the  soul  of  the  old 
family  friend,  that  he  may  partake  with  them  of  your  hea- 
venly possessions. 

ANTHONY  PEARSON." 

Ramshaw,  near  West  Auckland, 
May  9th,  1653. 


120  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

Accompanied  by  his  wife,  he  went  with  George  Fox  some 
distance  on  his  journey  to  Cumberland,  until  they  came  to  the 
town  of  Bootle.  At  this  place,  on  the  First-day  of  the  week, 
George  went  to  the  parish  house  of  worship,  where,  after  the 
minister  had  done,  he  began  to  speak ;  but  the  people  were 
exceedingly  rude,  and  beat  him  severely. 

In  the  afternoon  he  went  again,  when  he  found  the  minister 
had  obtained  the  assistance  of  another  clergyman,  of  high 
repute,  from  London.  The  latter  was  preaching,  and  in  order 
to  throw  odium  upon  Friends,  he  recited  and  applied  to  them 
all  the  texts  he  could  think  of,  which  spoke  of  false  prophets, 
antichrists,  and  deceivers.  When  he  had  ended,  George  Fox 
recalled  all  those  texts,  and  brought  them  to  bear  upon  the 
clergy.  Then  the  people  fell  upon  him  in  a  rude  manner, 
but  a  constable  who  was  present  restrained  them.  The  priest, 
being  exasperated,  said  he  should  not  preach. 

GEOEGE  Fox.  "  Thou  hast  thy  hour-glass,  by  which  thou 
hast  preached,  and  now,  having  done,  the  time  is  free  for  me, 
as  well  as  for  thee ;  for  thou  art  but  a  stranger  here  thyself. 
Those  scriptures  which  speak  of  the  false  prophets,  antichrists, 
and  deceivers,  describe  you  and  your  generation,  who  are 
walking  in  their  footsteps,  and  bringing  forth  their  fruits; 
but  they  do  not  apply  to  us,  who  are  not  guilty  of  such 
things." 

PRIEST.  "This  man  has  gotten  all  the  honest  men  and 
women  in  Lancashire  to  him,  and  now  he  comes  here  to  do 
the  same." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "What  wilt  thou  have  left?  And  what 
have  the  priests  left  them,  but  such  as  themselves  ?  For  if 
they  be  the  honest  that  receive  the  truth,  and  are  turned  to 
Christ,  then  they  must  be  the  dishonest  that  follow  thee,  and 
such  as  thou  art."  Then  turning  to  some  who  were  pleading 
for  the  priest,  and  for  tithes,  he  added,  "  It  were  better  for 
you  to  plead  for  Christ,  who  has  ended  the  tithing  priesthood 
with  the  tithes,  and  has  sent  forth  his  ministers  to  give  freely, 
as  they  have  received  freely." 


AT  COCKERMOUTH  AND  BBINGHAM.         121 

He  next  proceeded  to  appoint  a  meeting  near  Cockermouth, 
at  a  place  of  worship,  occupied  by  John  Wilkinson,  who  was  a 
clergyman  in  great  repute,  and  had  three  parishes  under  his 
care.  A  great  crowd  was  in  attendance,  and  when  George 
Fox  arrived,  he  found  his  friend  James  Lancaster  preaching 
to  the  congregation  under  a  yew-tree,  which  was  so  full  of 
people  that  it  appeared  likely  to  break  down.  George  was 
asked  whether  he  would  not  go  into  the  church  ?  Seeing  no 
place  so  convenient,  he  answered  "  yes  ;"  whereupon  the  people 
rushed  in  and  filled  the  house.  He  followed  them,  and  after 
they  became  settled,  he  stood  upon  a  seat,  and  preached  to 
them  for  about  three  hours,  "  laying  open  their  teachers,  with 
the  rudiments,  traditions,  and  inventions  they  had  been  under 
in  the  night  of  apostacy,  since  the  apostles'  days,  and  direct- 
ing them  to  Christ,  the  true  teacher  and  to  the  true  spiritual 
worship." 

After  he  had  ended,  the  people  appeared  well  satisfied,  and 
one  of  them,  a  professor  of  religion,  followed  him  and  praised 
him  so  highly,  that  George,  being  disgusted,  turned  to  him 
and  said,  "Fear  the  Lord  !"  A  clergyman  named  Larkham 
being  present,  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  why  do  you  judge  so  ?  You 
must  not  judge!"  George  Fox  replied,  "Friend,  dost  thou 
not  discern  an  exhortation  from  a  judgment  ?  I  admonished 
him  to  fear  God  !  and  dost  thou  say  I  judged  him  ?" 

At  Bringham,  about  two  miles  distant  from  the  place  of 
worship  last  named,  was  another  occupied  by  the  same  clergy- 
man. To  this  place  lie  came  and  found  a  great  concourse  of 
people,  many  of  whom  had  been  at  the  other  meeting.  Being 
again  asked  whether  he  would  not  go  into  the  church?  he 
went  in  and  stood  upon  a  seat,  to  address  a  crowded  auditory. 
He  says  in  his  Journal, "  the  Lord  opened  my  mouth,  and  I 
declared  his  everlasting  truth  and  word  of  life  to  the  people, 
directing  them  to  the  spirit  of  God  in  themselves,  by  which 
they  might  know  God,  Christ,  and  the  scriptures,  and  come  to 
have  heavenly  fellowship  in  the  spirit.  I  declared  to  them, 
that  every  one  that  cometh  into  the  world  was  enlightened  by 


122  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

Christ  the  life,  by  which  light  they  might  see  their  sins,  and 
Christ,  who  was  come  to  save  them  from  their  sins,  and  died 
for  them.  And  if  they  came  to  walk  in  this  light,  they  might 
therein  see  Christ  to  be  the  author  of  their  faith,  and  the  fin- 
isher thereof;  their  shepherd  to  feed  them,  their  priest  to 
teach  them,  their  great  prophet  to  open  divine  mysteries  unto 
them,  and  to  be  always  present  with  them.  I  explained  also 
to  them,  in  the  openings  of  the  Lord,  the  first  covenant,  show- 
ing them  the  figures,  and  the  substance  of  those  figures; 
bringing  them  on  to  Christ,  the  new  covenant.  I  also  mani- 
fested to  them,  that  there  had  been  a  night  of  apostacy  since 
the  apostles'  days  ;  but  that  now  the  everlasting  gospel  was 
preached  again,  which  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light : 
and  the  day  of  the  Lord  was  come,  and  Christ  was  come  to 
teach  his  people  himself,  by  his  light,  grace,  power,  and  spirit. 
A  fine  opportunity  the  Lord  gave  me  to  preach  truth  that  day 
for  about  three  hours,  and  all  was  quiet.  Many  hundreds 
were  convinced,  and  some  of  them  praised  God,  and  said, 
"Now  we  know  the  first  step  to  peace." 

Proceeding  on  his  journey,  he  came  to  Carlisle,  where  he 
had  a  meeting  in  the  Abbey,  which  was  attended  by  the  pas- 
tor of  the  Baptists  with  most  of  his  congregation. 

Many  of  the  audience,  including  some  soldiers,  were  con- 
vinced of  the  truths  declared.  "After  the  meeting,"  he  says, 
"  the  pastor  of  the  Baptists,  a  high  notionist  and  a  flashy  man, 
asked  me  '  what  must  be  damned  !'  I  was  moved  immediately 
to  tell  him,  '  that  which  spoke  in  him  was  to  be  damned.' 
This  stopped  his  mouth,  and  the  witness  of  God  was  raised  up 
in  him.  I  opened  to  him  the  states  of  election  and  repro- 
bation ;  so  that  he  said  '  he  never  heard  the  like  in  his  life.' 
He  came  afterwards  to  be  convinced. 

"  Then  I  went  to  the  castle  among  the  soldiers,  who  beat  a 
drum  and  called  the  garrison  together.  I  preached  the  truth 
amongst  them,  directing  them  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  be 
their  teacher  and  to  the  measure  of  his  spirit  in  themselves, 
by  which  they  might  be  turned  from  darkness  to  light  and  from 


GEORGE   FOX'S   LONG   HAIR.  123 

the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.  I  warned  them  all  that  they 
should  do  no  violence  to  any  man,  but  should  show  forth  a 
Christian  life ;  telling  them  that  he  who  was  to  be  their  teacher, 
would  be  their  condemner  if  they  were  disobedient  to  him.' 
So  I  left  them,  having  no  opposition  from  any  of  them,  except 
the  Serjeants, who  afterwards  came  to  be  convinced." 

He  next  preached  at  the  market-cross  to  a  great  concourse 
of  people,  by  whom  he  was  heard  willingly.  The  magistrates 
had  threatened  that  he  should  be  arrested,  and  their  wives 
had  declared  that  they  would  pluck  the  hair  from  off  his  head 
if  he  came  there,  but  so  great  was  the  crowd  of  people  and 
soldiers  around  him,  that  they  could  not  reach  him. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  his  long  hair  was  one  cause  of 
offence  among  the  Independents  and  Presbyterians,  for  the 
political  party  to  which  they  belonged,  wore  their  hair  cropped 
short,  and  hence  they  were  known  by  the  appellation  of 
Round-heads.  George  Fox  informs  us  in  his  Journal,  that 
"  his  hair  was  pretty  long,  for  he  was  not  to  cut  it,  though 
many  were  offended  at  it.  But  he  told  them  he  had  no  pride 
in  it,  and  it  was  not  of  his  own  putting  on."  He  probably 
wore  it  as  a  sign  to  the  highly  professing  Puritans,  to  signify, 
that  there  is  no  evidence  of  true  religion  in  the  cut  of  the  hair, 
for  they  placed  too  much  reliance  upon  this  outward  mark  of 
sanctity. 

On  the  following  First-day,  he  visited  the  "  steeple-house," 
where  after  the  minister  had  done,  he  began  to  preach.  The 
priest  left  the  house,  and  the  magistrates  desired  him  to  depart, 
but  he  told  them  he  came  to  declare  the  way  of  the  Lord  to 
them,  and  so  powerful  was  his  ministry,  that  the  people  began 
to  tremble,  and  some  of  them  thought  the  house  itself  was 
shaken.  The  same  magistrates'  wives  being  present,  were 
much  exasperated,  and  strove  to  attack  him,  but  could  not 
reach  him  for  the  crowd.  At  length,  the  rude  populace  raised 
a  riot,  which  was  quelled  by  the  soldiers,  some  of  whom  took 
him  by  the  hand  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  conducted  him 
away.  A  lieutenant  who  had  been  convinced  of  his  principles 


124  LITE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

took  him  to  his  house,  where  he  found  a  Baptist  meeting,  and 
some  of  his  friends  having  joined  him,  they  had  a  very  satis- 
factory opportunity  for  divine  worship. 

The  next  day,  the  justices  and  magistrates  of  the  town, 
being  assembled  in  the  Town-Hall,  issued  a  warrant  for  his 
apprehension.  On  hearing  of  it,  he  immediately  presented 
himself  before  them.  Finding  many  strange  and  false  accusa- 
tions had  been  made  against  him,  he  had  much  discourse  with 
them,  and  laid  open  the  fruits  of  their  priest's  ministry,  show- 
ing that  with  all  their  high  professions,  they  were  void  of  true 
Christianity. 

After  a  long  examination,  they  committed  him  to  prison  as 
"  a  blasphemer,  a  heretic,  and  a  seducer."  The  report  now 
went  abroad  that  he  was  to  be  hanged,  and  the  Sheriff  said 
he  would  himself  guard  him  to  execution.  People  came  to 
see  him,  as  a  man  condemned  to  die.  Among  them  were 
several  ladies  of  rank,  and  many  priests.  Some  of  the  latter 
he  says,  "were  exceedingly  rude  and  devilish." 

While  he  was  closely  confined  and  guarded  in  the  jailor's 
house,  his  friends  being  denied  access  to  him,  Anthony 
Pearson,  on  his  behalf,  addressed  a  letter  to  the  judges,  com- 
plaining that  he  was  not  brought  to  trial,  nor  confronted  with 
his  accusers,  and  asserting  that  he  was  not  guilty  of  any  of  the 
expressions  or  opinions  charged  against  him.  The  judges, 
however,  paid  no  attention  to  this  petition,  but  left  him  to 
be  dealt  with  by  the  magistrates,  who  ordered  the  jailor  to  put 
him  down  among  the  felons,  which  he  did  accordingly. 

In  this  noisome,  filthy  place,  surrounded  by  depraved  men 
and  women,  he  was  persecuted  by  a  brutal  under-jailor,  who 
beat  him  with  a  cudgel.  "While  thus  beaten,"  he  says  in  his 
Journal,  "  I  was  moved  to  sing  in  the  Lord's  power,  which 
made  him  rage  the  more.  Then  he  fetched  a  fiddler  and  set 
him  to  play,  thinking  to  vex  me,  but  while  he  played,  I  was 
moved  in  the  everlasting  power  of  the  Lord  God  to  sing,  and 
my  voice  drowned  the  noise  of  the  fiddler,  and  made  them 
give  over  fiddling,  and  go  on  their  way." 


HIS   IMPRISONMENT  AT   CARLISLE.  125 

During  his  imprisonment,  great  sympathy  was  manifested 
for  him  by  his  friends.  Justice  Benson's  wife  was  impelled 
by  a  sense  of  duty  to  visit  him,  and  to  "  eat  no  meat  but  what 
she  eat  with  him,  at  the  bars  of  his  prison  window."  Even 
the  felons,  among  whom  he  was  imprisoned,  were  so  wrought 
upon  by  his  Christian  demeanour,  that  they  evinced  their  love 
and  respect  for  him,  and  some  of  them  became  sincere  peni- 
tents. 

Notwithstanding  his  close  confinement,  he  found  means  to 
issue  several  papers  in  defence  of  his  principles.  The  first  was 
a  challenge  to  his  accusers  and  persecutors,  desiring  all  who 
were  not  satisfied  with  his  doctrines,  "  to  publish  their  objec- 
tions in  writing,  and  not  backbite,  lie  and  persecute  in  secret." 
Another  was  a  letter  addressed  to  the  magistrates  of  Carlisle, 
remonstrating  with  them  for  their  cruel  and  illegal  proceed- 
ings, which  he  attributed  to  the  instigation  of  the  priests. 
He  queries  with  them,  "Is  this  the  end  of  your  ministry? 
Is  this  the  end  of  your  church,  and  of  your  profession  of 
Christianity  ?  You  have  shamed  it  by  your  folly,  madness  and 
blind  zeal.  Was  it  not  always  the  work  of  the  blind  guides, 
watchmen,  leaders  and  false  prophets,  to  prepare  war  against 
them,  that  could  not  put  into  their  mouths  ?  Have  not  you 
been  the  priest's  pack-horses  and  executioners  ?  When  they 
spur  you  up  to  bear  the  sword  against  the  just,  do  you  not  run 
on  against  those  that  cannot  hold  up  such  as  the  scriptures 
always  testified  against  ?  Yet  will  you  lift  up  your  unholy 
hands,  and  call  upon  God  with  your  polluted  lips,  and  pretend 
a  fast,  who  are  full  of  strife  and  debate.  Did  your  hearts 
never  burn  within  you?  Did  you  never  come  to  question 
your  conditions  ?  Are  you  wholly  given  up  'to  do  the  devil's 
lusts,  to  persecute  ?  Where  is  your  loving  enemies  ?  Where 
is  your  entertaining  strangers  ?  Where  is  your  overcoming  evil 
with  good  ?".  .  .  . 

At  length,  his  friend  Anthony  Pearson  prevailed  on  the 
Governor  of  the  castle,  to  go  with  him  to  inspect  the  prison. 
They  found  the  place  so  extremely  filthy  and  offensive,  that 


126  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

"  They  cried  shame  upon  the  magistrates,  for  suffering  the 
jailor  to  do  such  things."  They  summoned  all  the  jailors 
into  the  prison,  and  required  them  to  find  sureties  for  their 
good  behaviour ;  and  the  under-jailor,  who  had  been  so  cruel, 
they  put  into  the  prison  among  the  felons. 

About  this  time,  Cromwell  called  together  a  new  Parliament 
nominated  by  himself,  with  the  advice  of  his  council  of  offi- 
cers, and  chosen  from  among  his  own  partisans.  This  body  con- 
tinued in  existence  only  about  six  months,  but  during  its  session 
a  report  having  reached  London,  that  a  young  man  at  Carlisle 
was  to  die  for  religion,  the  Parliament  caused  a  letter  to  be  sent 
to  the  magistrates  concerning  him.  It  was  probably  in  conse- 
quence of  this  inquiry,  that  George  Fox  was  soon  after  libe- 
rated by  the  justices,  who  were  conscious  that  his  detention 
was  illegal.  His  imprisonment  was  not  without  important 
results.  One  of  his  proselytes  at  this  time  was  James  Parnel, 
"a  little  lad  of  sixteen  years  of  age,"  who  soon  became 
eminent  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  Another  was  John 
Stubbs,  then  a  soldier  in  Cromwell's  army. 

He  had  received  a  liberal  education,  being  skilled,  not  only 
in  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew,  but  also  in  the  Oriental  lan- 
guages.* Soon  after  his  convincement,  Cromwell,  having 
attained  to  supreme  authority,  required  the  army  to  take  the 
oath  of  fidelity,  which  he,  and  some  others,  were  not  willing  to 
take,  because  they  could  not  swear  at  all,  and  hence  they  were 
allowed  to  retire  from  the  service.  The  same  year,  in  com- 
pany with  William  Caton,  he  travelled  in  the  service  of  the 
gospel.  They  held  meetings  in  London,  and  visited  many 
places  in  Kent,  where  they  were  instrumental  in  making  some 
proselytes,  among  whom  was  Samuel  Fisher,  a  learned  Baptist 
minister.  He  had  a  benefice  worth  <£200  pounds  a  year,  which 
he  relinquished,  and  joined  in  membership  with  Friends :  he  be- 
came an  author  of  religious  works,  and  a  free  minister  of  the 
gospel, 

*  Sewel,  I.  108. 


HE   RESUMES   HIS   LABOURS.  127 

Some  years  later,  John  Stubbs,  in  company  with  Samuel 
Fisher,  visited  Rome,  where  they  spoke  with  some  of  the  car- 
dinals, testified  against  the  popish  superstitions,  and  even 
distributed  Friends'  books  among  the  friars,  without  being 
seriously  molested.  John  Stubbs  appears  to  have  been  an 
extensive  traveller.  He  visited  Scotland,  Holland,  Turkey, 
Egypt,  and  America,  in  the  service  of  the  gospel. 

No  sooner  was  George  Fox  released  from  prison  at  Carlisle, 
than  he  resumed  his  travels  and  labours  in  the  ministry,  and 
after  visiting  the  counties  of  Westmoreland,  Durham,  and 
Northumberland,  he  returned  to  Cumberland.  "  In  Northum- 
berland," he  says,  "  many  came  to  dispute.  Some  pleaded 
against  perfection,  to  whom  I  declared,  '  That  Adam  and  Eve 
were  perfect  before  they  fell ;  and  that  all  God  made  was 
perfect ;  and  that  the  imperfection  came  by  the  devil  and  the 
fall :  but  Christ,  who  came  to  destroy  the  devil,  said,  Be  ye 
perfect.'  One  of  the  professors  alleged  that  Job  said,  '  Shall 
mortal  man  be  more  pure  than  his  maker  ?  The  heavens  are 
not  clean  in  his  sight.  God  charged  his  angels  with  folly.' 
I  showed  him  his  mistake,  and  let  him  see,  '  It  was  not  Job 
that  said  so,  but  one  of  those  that  contended  against  him ;  for 
Job  stood  for  perfection,  and  held  his  integrity ;  and  they  were 
called  miserable  comforters.'  These  professors  said,  '  The 
outward  body  was  the  body  of  death  and  sin.'  I  discovered 
their  mistake  in  that  also,  showing  them,  '  That  Adam  and 
Eve  had  each  of  them  an  outward  body,  before  the  body  of 
death  and  sin  got  into  them ;  and  that  man  and  woman  will 
have  bodies,  when  the  body  of  sin  and  death  is  put  off  again ; 
when  they  are  renewed  up  into  the  image  of  God  again  by 
Christ  Jesus,  which  they  were  in  before  they  fell.'  They 
ceased  at  that  time  from  opposing,  and  glorious  meetings  we 
had  in  the  Lord's  power." 

In  Cumberland,  he  attended  a  great  meeting  of  thousands 
of  people,  on  the  top  of  a  hill  near  Langlands.  In  describing 
it,  he  says,  "  A  glorious  heavenly  meeting  it  was,  for  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  did  shine  over  all ;  and  there  was  as  many  as  one 


128  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

could  well  speak  over.  Their  eyes  were  turned  to  Christ, 
their  teacher ;  and  they  came  to  sit  under  their  own  vine ; 
insomuch  that  Francis  Howgill,  coming  afterwards  to  visit 
them,  found  they  had  no  need  of  words ;  for  they  were  sitting 
under  their  teacher  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  sense  whereof  he  sat 
down  amongst  them,  without  speaking  .anything.  A  great  con- 
vincement  there  was  in  Cumberland,  Bishoprick,  Durham,  Nor- 
thumberland, Westmoreland,  Lancashire,  and  Yorkshire;  and 
the  plants  of  God  grew  and  flourished,  the  heavenly  rain  de- 
scending, and  God's  glory  shining  upon  them :  many  mouths 
were  opened  by  the  Lord  to  his  praise ;  yea,  to  babes  and  suck- 
lings he  ordained  strength."  *  *  *  * 

"  About  this  time  the  priests  and  professors  fell  to  prophe- 
sying against  us  afresh.  They  had  said,  long  before,  '  That 
we  should  be  destroyed  within  a  month ;'  after  that,  they  pro- 
longed the  time  to  half  a  year :  but  that  time  being  long 
expired,  and  we  mightily  increased  in  number,  they  now  gave 
out,  '  That  we  would  eat  out  one  another.'  For  after  meet- 
ings, many  tender  people,  having  a  great  way  to  go,  tarried 
at  Friends'  houses  by  the  way,  and  sometimes  more  than  there 
were  beds  to  lodge  in ;  so  that  some  have  laid  on  the  hay- 
mows: hereupon  fear  possessed  the  professors  and  world's 
people.  For  they  were  afraid,  that  when  we  had  eaten  one 
another  out,  we  would  all  come  to  be  maintained  by  the 
parishes,  and  be  chargeable  to  them.  But  after  awhile,  when 
they  saw  that  the  Lord  blessed  and  increased  Friends,  as  he 
did  Abraham,  both  in  the  field  and  in  the  basket,  at  their 
goings  forth  and  comings  in,  at  their  risings  up  and  lyings 
down,  and  that  all  things  prospered  with  them ;  then  they 
saw  the  falsehood  of  all  their  prophecies  against  us,  and  that 
it  was  in  vain  to  curse  where  God  had  blessed.  At  the  first 
convincement,  when  Friends  could  not  put  off  their  hats  to 
people,  nor  say  You  to  a  single  person,  but  Thou  and  Thee ; 
or  could  not  bow,  nor  use  flattering  words  in  salutations,  nor 
go  into  the  fashions  and  customs  of  the  world ;  many  Friends 
that  were  tradesmen  lost  their  customers ;  for  the  people  were 


PROSPERITY   OF   FRIENDS.  129 

shy  of  them,  and  would  not  trade  with  them ;  so  that,  for  a 
time,  some  could  hardly  get  money  enough  to  buy  bread.  But 
afterwards,  when  people  came  to  have  experience  of  Friends' 
honesty  and  faithfulness,  and  found  that  their  Yea  was  Yea, 
and  their  Nay  was  Nay ;  that  they  kept  to  a .  word  in  their 
dealings,  and  that  they  would  not  cozen  and  cheat  them; 
but  that  if  they  sent  a  child  to  their  shops  for  anything,  they 
were  as  well  used  as  if  they  had  come  themselves ;  the  lives 
and  conversations  of  Friends  did  preach,  and  reached  to  the 
witness  of  God  in  the  people.  Then  things  altered  so,  that 
all  the  inquiry  was,  '  Where  was  a  draper,  or  shop-keeper,  or 
tailor,  or  shoemaker,  or  any  other  tradesman,  that  was  a 
Quaker?  Insomuch  that  Friends  had  more  business  than 
many  of  their  neighbors ;  and  if  there  was  any  trading,  they 
had  a  great  part  of  it.  Then  the  envious  professors  altered 
their  note,  and  began  to  cry  out,  '  If  we  let  these  Quakers 
alone,  they  will  take  the  trade  of  the  nation  out  of  our  hands.' 
This  hath  been  the  Lord's  doings  to  and  for  his  people !  which 
my  desire  is,  that  all  who  profess  his  holy  truth,  may  be  truly 
kept  sensible  of,  and  that  all  may  be  preserved  in  and  by  his 
power  and  spirit,  faithful  to  God  and  man :  first  to  God,  in 
obeying  him  in  all  things ;  and  then  in  doing  unto  all  men 
that  which  is  just  and  righteous,  in  all  things  that  they  have 
to  do  or  deal  with  them  in :  that  the  Lord  God  may  be  glori- 
fied in  their  practising  truth,  holiness,  godliness,  and  right- 
eousness amongst  people,  in  their  lives  and  conversations." 

It  was  during  this  year,  (1653,)  that  George  Fox,  in  an 
evening  meeting  at  Sunny-Bank,  in  Westmoreland,  became 
instrumental  in  confirming  the  faith  of  George  Whitehead, 
whose  mind  had,  some  months  before,  been  convinced  of  the 
principles  of  Friends.  He  was  then  but  seventeen  years  of 
age,  yet  in  the  following  year  he  came  forth  in  the  ministry 
of  the  gospel.  His  communications  were  at  first  in  a  few 
words  only,  but  as  he  waited  in  silence  and  attended  faithfully 
to  the  openings  of  divine  truth  upon  his  mind,  he  grew  in  his 
gift,  and  became  an  able  and  devoted  minister  of  the  Word. 
9 


130  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

He  afterwards  resided  in  London,  where  he  was  eminently 
serviceable,  not  only  in  his  public  ministry,  but  in  the  admin- 
istration of  church  discipline,  and  in  waiting  upon  persons  in 
authority,  to  obtain  relief  for  his  suffering  brethren. 

Another  proselyte  to  the  doctrine  of  Friends,  who  was  this 
year  convinced  by  the  ministry  of  George  Fox,  was  John 
Burnyeat,  of  Cumberland.  He  belonged  to  Pardsay  meeting, 
and  was  probably  one  of  the  many  hundreds  convinced  at 
some  of  the  meetings  held  in  the  open  air  at  Pardshaw-crag. 
This  is  a  rocky  eminence  which  overlooks  a  natural  amphi- 
theatre, in  one  of  the  most  secluded  and  picturesque  regions 
of  Cumberland.  Tradition  still  preserves  among  the  neigh- 
bouring inhabitants  an  account  of  the  immense  gatherings  at 
this  place  in  the  days  of  George  Fox,  and  of  the  wonderful 
effect  produced  upon  them  by  his  powerful  and  persuasive 
ministry.*  They  acknowledged  him  to  be  a  chosen  instrument 
"  sent  amongst  them  in  the  power  of  the  Most  High,  filled 
with  the  strength  of  his  word,  in  the  wisdom  whereof  he 
directed  thousands  unto  the  light  and  appearance  of  Christ 
Jesus  their  saviour,  in  their  own  hearts."  f  By  attention  to 
this  "law  of  the  Spirit  of  Life  in  Christ  Jesus,"  John  Burn- 
yeat came  to  see  the  emptiness  of  his  former  high  profession, 
and  the  danger  of  depending  upon  the  imputed  righteousness 
of  Christ,  while  the  body  of  death  and  the  power  of  sin  still 
remained  within  him.  After  passing  through  a  season  of  deep 
distress  and  spiritual  baptism,  he  was  brought  unto  a  state  of 
humble  obedience  and  entire  reliance  upon  this  inward  moni- 
tor, when  he  received  "the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the 
garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness." 

Being  thus  prepared  for  service  in  the  church,  he  was  en- 
dowed with  a  gift  in  the  gospel  ministry,  and  became  an  emi- 
nent instrument  in  the  Lord's  hands  to  promote  his  glorious 
cause  of  righteousness  and  truth. 

"  *  London  Friend,  7th  month,  1853. 

f  J.  Burnyeat's  Works,  London,  1691,  p.  1—7 ;  and  Gough's  Hist., 
Book  VI.  chap.  IV. 


HE   AGAIN    MEETS    STEPHENS.  131 


CHAPTER  IX. 

George  Fox  leaves  Swarthmore — At  Drayton  meets  N.  Stephens — Con- 
troversy with  him — Arrested  by  Col.  Hacker  and  taken  to  London — 
Interview  with  Cromwell — Great  meetings  in  London — Settlement  of 
Friends'  meetings  in  the  city — Letter  from  A.  Pearson — Second  visit 
to  Whitehall — Cromwell's  news-monger — His  triers  of  the  clergy — 
George  Fox  travels  in  Kent  and  Sussex — Visits  J.  Parnel — Sketch  of 
his  life  and  death. 

1654. 

AFTEE  having  witnessed  the  settlement  of  a  large  number 
of  Friends'  meetings  in  the  north  of  England,  George  Fox 
took  leave  of  his  kind  friends  at  Swarthmore-hall,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year  1654,  and  directing  his  course  southward,  he 
visited  the  midland  counties  of  Derby,  Nottingham,  Lincoln, 
and  Leicester.  During  this  journey,  he  held  large  meetings, 
and  made  numerous  proselytes,  but  he  encountered  much 
opposition,  and  had  many  discussions  with  the  priests  and 
their  adherents. 

At  Drayton,  in  Leicestershire,  he  visited  his  relatives,  and 
there  he  again  met  with  his  old  pastor,  Nathaniel  Stephens, 
who,  having  veered  round  with  the  changes  of  the  government, 
was  now  a  preacher  among  the  Independents.  They  had 
several  interviews,  in  the  first  of  which  Stephens  and  another 
clergyman  having  challenged  him  to  a  public  discussion  on 
the  subject  of  tithes,  he  did  not  shrink  from  the  encounter, 
but  showed  them  from  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  Hebrews, 
"  That  not  only  tithes,  but  the  priesthood  that  took  tithes, 
was  ended,  and  the  law  was  ended  and  disannulled,  by  which 
the  priesthood  was  made."  He  writes  in  his  Journal,  "  I  had 
known  Stephens  from  a  child,  therefore  I  laid  open  his  condi- 
tion, and  the  manner  of  his  preaching,  and  how  he,  like  the 
rest  of  the  priests,  did  apply  the  promises  to  the  first  birth, 
which  must  die.  But  I  showed  that  the  promises  were  to  the 


132  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

seed,  not  to  many  seeds,  but  to  the  one  seed,  Christ,  who  was 
one  in  male  and  female ;  for  all  were  to  be  born  again  before 
they  could  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

At  the  close  of  the  discussion  he  told  them  "  that  if  the 
Lord  would  permit  he  intended  to  be  in  the  town  again  that 
day  seven-night."  In  the  meantime,  he  attended  some  meet- 
ings in  the  country,  and  returned  on  the  day  appointed,  when 
he  found  that  Stephens  was  determined  to  renew  the  discussion, 
and  had  engaged  seven  other  clergymen  to  assist  him. 

Several  hundred  people  were  assembled,  and  they  urged 
George  Fox  to  enter  the  parish  house  of  worship,  but  he 
declined,  and  being  accompanied  by  Thomas  Taylor  and 
James  Parnel,  he  addressed  the  people  from  the  top  of  a  hill. 
After  some  disputation,  several  lusty  men  took  him  up  in 
their  arms,  and  carried  him  to  the  "steeple-house,"  but  the 
door  being  locked,  they  placed  him  on  a  wall  adjacent,  where 
the  priests  and  people  were  assembled.  The  clergymen  cried 
out,  "  Come  to  argument !  to  argument !" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  deny  all  your  voices,  for  they  are  the 
voices  of  hirelings  and  strangers. 

CLERGYMEN.     "  Prove  it !  prove  it." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  You  may  see,  in  the  tenth  of  John,  what 
Christ  has  said  of  such ;  he  declared  he  was  the  true  shepherd 
that  laid  down  his  life  for  his  sheep,  and  his  sheep  heard  his 
voice  and  followed  him,  but  the  hireling  would  fly,  when  the 
wolf  came,  because  he  was  an  hireling.  You  are  such  as  the 
prophet  Jeremiah  cried  against,  (Chap.  V.)  when  he  said  "the 
prophets  prophesy  falsely,  and  the  priests  bear  rule  through 
their  means,"  which  he  called  an  horrible  filthy  thing.  You 
are  such  as  used  their  tongues  and  said,  'thus  saith  the  Lord,' 
when  the  Lord  never  spoke  to  them.  Such  that  followed  their 
own  spirits  and  saw  nothing,  but  spoke  a  divination  of  their 
own  brain,  and  by  their  lies  and  their  lightness  caused  the 
people  to  err." 

"  You  are  such  as  they  were  that  sought  their  gain  from  their 
quarter;  that  were  as  greedy  dumb  dogs,  that  could  never 


LANGUAGE   APPARENTLY  HARSH.  133 

have  enough,  whom  the  Lord  sent  his  prophet  Isaiah  to  cry 
against.  (Isa.  Ivi.)  You  are  such  as  they  were  who  taught  for 
handfuls  of  barley,  and  pieces  of  bread,  who  sewed  pillows 
under  people's  arm-holes,  that  they  might  lie  soft  in  their  sins. 
(Ezek.  xiii.)  You  are  such  as  they  that  taught  for  the  fleece 
and  the  wool  and  made  a  prey  of  the  people.  (Ezek.  xxxiv.) 
But  the  Lord  is  gathering  his  sheep  from  your  mouths,  and 
from  your  barren  mountains,  and  is  bringing  them  to  Christ 
the  one  shepherd  whom  he  hath  set  over  his  flocks  ;  as  by  his 
prophet  Ezekiel  he  then  declared  he  would  do." 

Having  thus  continued  through  the  prophets,  he  came  to 
the  New  Testament,  and  showed  that  the  clergy  were  like  the 
Pharisees,  who  loved  to  be  called  of  men,  masters,  to  go  in 
long  robes,  to  stand  praying  in  the  synagogues,  and  to  'have 
the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts ;  and  then,  turning  to  the  people, 
he  directed  their  attention  "  to  the  light  of  Jesus,  who  enlight- 
ens every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  At  the  close  of 
the  discussion  he  announced  "  that  he  should,  God  willing,  be 
in  town  that  day  seven-night  again."  Many  of  the  people 
were  convinced,  and  his  father,  though  a  hearer  and  follower 
of  the  priest,  was  so  well  satisfied,  that  he  struck  his  cane 
upon  the  ground,  and  said,  "  Truly  I  see,  he  that  will  but  stand 
to  the  truth,  it  will  bear  him  out.'' 

The  language  addressed  to  Stephens  and  his  coadjutors  on 
this  occasion,  may  seem,  to  modern  ears,  exceedingly  harsh, 
but  we  must  bear  in  mind  the  mercenary  conduct  then  com- 
mon among  the  clergy,  many  of  whom,  as  well  as  Stephens 
himself,  had  changed  their  profession  in  order  to  keep  their 
benefices. 

At  the  expiration  of  a  week,  George  Fox,  agreeably  to  his 
appointment,  held  a  meeting  at  Drayton,  in  the  house  of  one 
of  his  relatives ;  but  the  priests,  although  notified,  did  not 
attend. 

Resuming  his  travels,  he  came  to  Whetstone,  in  Leicester- 
shire, where  he  was  arrested  by  some  troopers  of  Colonel 
Hacker's  regiment,  there  being,  at  that  time,  a  rumour  of  a 


134  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

plot  against  Oliver  Cromwell.  Being  brought  before  the 
Colonel,  and  many  other  officers  of  the  army,  they  had  much 
discourse  "  about  the  light  of  Christ,  which  enlighteneth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world." 

COLONEL  HACKER.  "  Was  it  not  this  light  of  Christ  that 
made  Judas  betray  his  master,  and  afterwards  led  him  to  hang 
himself?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  No,  that  was  the  spirit  of  darkness,  which 
hated  Christ  and  his  light." 

COLONEL  HACKER.  "  You  may  go  home,  if  you  will  stay 
there,  and  not  go  abroad  to  meetings." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  an  innocent  man,  free  from  all  plots, 
and  I  deny  all  such  work." 

COLONEL  HACKER'S  SON  NEEDHAM.  "Father,  this  man 
hath  reigned  too  long ;  it  is  time  to  have  him  cut  off." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  For  what  ?  What  have  I  done,  or  whom 
have  I  wronged  from  a  child?  I  was  born  and  bred  in 
this  county,  and  who  can  accuse  me  of  any  evil  from  a 
child  ?" 

COLONEL  HACKER.  "Will  you  go  home  and  stay  at 
home  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  If  I  should  make  such  a  promise,  it  would 
manifest  that  I  was  guilty  of  something,  to  make  my  house  a 
prison ;  and  if  I  should  go  to  meetings,  you  would  say  I  broke 
your  order." 

COLONEL  HACKER.  "Well,  then,  I  will  send  you  to- 
morrow morning,  by  six  o'clock,  to  my  Lord  Protector,  by 
Captain  Drury,  one  of  his  Life-guard." 

Next  morning,  before  his  departure,  George  Fox  asked 
leave  to  see  Colonel  Hacker,  and  was  taken  to  his  bed-side. 
The  Colonel  again  desired  him  to  go  home,  and  keep  no  more 
meetings.  George  told  him,  "  He  could  not  submit  to  that, 
but  must  have  liberty  to  serve  God,  and  to  go  to  meetings." 
Then  kneeling  on  the  bed-side,  "He  besought  the  Lord  to 
forgive  Colonel  Hacker,  for  he  was  as  Pilate,  though  he  would 
wash  his  hands  ;"  and  to  the  Colonel  he  said,  "When  the  day 


HIS   CONFERENCE   WITH   CROMWELL.  135 

of  thy  misery  and  trial  shall  come  upon  thee,  remember  what 
I  have  said  to  thee."* 

Being  taken  to  London  by  Captain  Drury,  he  was  lodged 
.at  the  Mermaid  inn,  "  over  against  the  mews  at  Charing- 
cross."  Here  he  was  informed,  that  the  Protector  required 
him  "  To  promise  that  he  would  not  take  up  a  carnal  sword 
or  weapon  against  him,  or  the  government  as  it  then  was." 
He  made  no  immediate  answer,  but  the  next  morning  he  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  stating  that,  "  He  did,  in 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  declare,  that  he  denied  the  wearing 
or  drawing  a  carnal  sword,  or  any  other  outward  weapon, 
against  him  or  any  man."  And  furthermore,  "  That  he  was 
sent  of  God  to  stand  a  witness  against  all  violence,  and 
against  the  works  of  darkness,  and  to  turn  people  from  dark- 
ness to  the  light ;  to  bring  them  from  the  occasion  of  war  and 
fighting,  to  the  peaceable  gospel ;  and  from  being  evil  doers, 
which  the  magistrate's  sword  should  be  a  terror  to." 

This  being  handed  to  Cromwell,  he  required  the  attendance 
of  George  Fox,  who  thus  relates  the  interview :  "  After  some 
time,  Captain  Drury  brought  me  before  the  Protector  himself, 
at  Whitehall.  It  was  in  the  morning  before  he  was  dressed ; 
and  one  Harvey,  who  had  come  a  little  among  Friends,  but 
was  disobedient,  waited  upon  him.  When  I  came  in,  I  was 
moved  to  say,  '  Peace  be  in  this  house,'  and  I  exhorted  him  to 
keep  in  the  fear  of  God,  that  he  might  receive  wisdom  from 
him ;  that. by  it  he  might  be  ordered,  and  with  it  might  order 
all  things  under  his  hand  unto  God's  glory.  I  spoke  much  to 
him  of  truth ;  and  a  great  deal  of  discourse  I  had  with  him 
about  religion,  wherein  he  carried  himself  very  moderately. 
But  he  said,  *  We  quarrelled  with  the  priests,'  whom  he  called 
ministers.  I  told  him,  '  I  did  not  quarrel  with  them ;  they 

*  Colonel  Hacker  was,  after  the  Restoration,  imprisoned  at  London, 
and  hanged  at  Tyburn.  A  day  or  two  before  his  execution,  he  was 
reminded  of  what  he  had  done  against  the  innocent.  He  confessed  it 
to  Margaret  Fell,  saying,  "  He  knew  well  whom  she  meant;  and  he  had 
trouble  upon  him  for  it." 


136  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

quarrelled  with  me  and  my  friends.  But,'  said  I,  'if  we  own 
the  prophets,  Christ,  and  the  apostles,  we  cannot  hold  up  such 
teachers,  prophets  and  shepherds,  as  the  prophets,  Christ,  and 
the  apostles  declared  against;  but  we  must  declare  against 
them  hy  the  same  power  and  spirit.'  Then  I  showed  him, 
*  That  the  prophets,  Christ,  and  the  apostles,  declared  freely, 
and  declared  against  them  that  did  not  declare  freely ;  such 
as  preached  for  filthy  lucre,  divined  for  money,  and  preached 
for  hire,  and  were  covetous  and  greedy,  like  the  dumb  dogs 
that  could  never  have  enough ;  and  that  they  who  have  the 
same  spirit  that  Christ  and  the  prophets,  and  the  apostles  had, 
could  not  but  declare  against  all  such  now,  as  they  did  then.' 
As  I  spoke,  he  several  times  said,  *  It  was  very  good,  and  it 
was  truth.'  I  told  him,  '  That  all  Christendom  (so  called)  had 
the  scriptures,  but  they  wanted  the  power  and  spirit  that  those 
had  who  gave  forth  the  scriptures ;  and  that  was  the  reason 
they  were  not  in  fellowship  with  the  Son,  nor  with  the  Father, 
nor  with  the  scriptures,  nor  one  with  another.'  Many  more 
words  I  had  with  him ;  but  people  coming  in,  I  drew  a  little 
back.  As  I  was  turning,  he  catched  me  by  the  hand,  and, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  said,  '  Come  again  to  my  house ;  for  if 
thou  and  I  were  but  an  hour  of  a  day  together,  we  should  be 
nearer  one  to  the  other;'  adding,  'That  he  wished  me  no 
more  ill  than  he  did  to  his  own  soul.'  I  told  him,  '  If  he  did, 
he  wronged  his  own  soul ;  and  admonished  him  to  hearken  to 
God's  voice,  that  he  might  stand  in  his  counsel  and  obey  it ; 
and  if  he  did  so,  that  would  keep  him  from  hardness  of  heart ; 
but  if  he  did  not  hear  God's  voice,  his  heart  would  be  hard- 
ened.' He  said,  '  It  was  true.'  Then  I  went  out ;  and  when 
Captain  Drury  came  out  after  me,  he  told  me,  'His  Lord 
Protector  said  I  was  at  liberty,  and  might  go  whither  I  would.' 
Then  I  was  brought  into  a  great  hall,  where  the  Protector's 
gentlemen  were  to  dine.  I  asked  them,  '  What  they  brought 
me  thither  for  ?'  They  said,  '  It  was  by  the  Protector's  order, 
that  I  might  dine  with  them.'  I  bid  them  let  the  Protector 
know,  '  I  would  not  eat  of  his  bread,  nor  drink  of  his  drink.' 


HIS   MINISTRY   IN   LONDON.  137 

When  he  heard  of  this,  he  said,  '  Now  I  see  there  is  a  people 
risen,  that  I  cannot  win  either  with  gifts,  honours,  offices,  or 
places ;  but  all  other  sects  and  people  I  can.'  It  was  told 
him  again,  '  That  we  had  forsook  our  own ;  and  were  not  like 
to  look  for  such  things  from  him.'" 

This  first  interview  with  the  Protector  took  place  on  the 
19th  of  the  12th  month,  1654,  (equivalent  to  February,  '55,) 
after  which,  being  set  at  liberty,  he  returned  to  the  inn  at 
Charing-cross.*  Here  he  was  visited  by  great  numbers  of 
almost  every  profession,  including  many  clergymen  and  officers 
of  the  army.  Among  those  who  came  was  Col.  Packer,  with 
several  of  his  officers.  At  the  same  time,  a  company  of 
Ranters  came  in,  who  began  to  call  for  drink  and  tobacco. 
George  Fox  desired  them  to  forbear  drinking  in  his  room ;  if 
they  were  disposed  to  drink,  they  might  go  into  another  room. 
One  of  them  cried,  "All  is  ours."  Another  said,  "All  is 
well."  George,  perceiving  him  to  be  of  a  peevish  disposition, 
replied,  "  How  is  all  well,  while  thou  art  so  envious,  peevish, 
and  crabbed?"  He  also  reproved  Col.  Packer,  who,  though 
a  professor  of  religion,  was  conversing  on  serious  subjects  in 
a  light  and  unbecoming  manner.  The  colonel  and  the  Ranters 
bowed  and  scraped  to  one  another  very  much,  upon  which  he 
told  them,  "  They  were  fit  to  go  together,  for  they  were  both 
of  one  spirit." 

After  a  short  stay  at  the  inn,  he  went  into  the  city  of 
London,  where  he  had  "great  and  powerful  meetings."  So 
immense  were  the  crowds  in  attendance,  that  he  could  scarcely 
get  to  and  from  the  meetings,  and  great  numbers  embraced 
the  doctrines  he  taught. 

In  the  early  part  of  that  year,  a  number  of  persons  in  and 
near  the  metropolis  had  been  convinced  of  Friends'  principles. 
It  is  believed  that  the  earliest  advocates  of  these  doctrines 
who  appeared  in  the  city,  were  Isabel  Buttery  and  a  compan- 
ion of  her  own  sex,  who  came  from  the  north  of  England, 

*  Tracts  in  British  Museum,  quoted  by  A.  K.  Barclay,  in  "Letters  of 
Early  Friends." 


138  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

and  brought  with  them  a  tract  of  George  Fox,  addressed,  "  To 
all  that  would  know  the  way  to  the  Kingdom."  *  This  tract 
being  printed,  they  distributed  to  such  as  were  willing  to 
receive  it,  and  they  held  private  meetings  at  Kobert  Dring's, 
in  "Watling-street,  and  Samuel  Dring's,  in  Moorfields,  where 
they  sometimes  spoke  a  few  words  in  gospel  ministry. f 

Early  in  the  summer  of  the  same  year,  Edward  Burrough, 
Francis  Howgill,  and  Anthony  Pearson,  came  to  the  city,  and 
were  the  first  Friends  who  held  public  meetings  there.  They 
were  soon  after  joined  by  John  Camm  and  Richard  Hubber- 
thorn,  and  many  proselytes  to  the  doctrines  of  spiritual  reli- 
gion were  made  through  their  united  ministry. 

A  letter  in  the  Swarthmore  collection,  from  Anthony 
Pearson  to  George  Fox,  dated  30th  of  5th  month,  1654,  re- 
lates to  their  gospel  labours.  He  says,  "  At  London  we  found 
very  many  who  have  a  true  principle  of  honesty  in  them,  but 
they  are,  for  the  most  part,  so  high-flown  in  wisdom  and 
notions,  that  it  is  hard  to  reach  them.  ....  Much  wisdom 
is  to  be  used  amongst  them,  until  the  truth  be  clearly  under- 
stood ;  and  then  to  speak  to  that  in  their  consciences,  to  the 

raising  up  of  the  witness,  to  let  them  see  themselves 

Few  words  must  be  used,  for  they  have  held  the  truth  in 
notions ;  and  all  cry  out,  '  What  do  these  men  say  more  than 
others  have  said  ?'  But  to  bring  them  to  silence,  confounds 
their  wisdom. 

"  Dear  heart ;  let  none  go  to  London,  but  in  the  clear 
and  pure  movings  of  the  spirit  of  Life,  that  the  blessing  may 
rest  upon  them.  And  great  is  the  harvest  like  to  be  in  that 
city  ;  hundreds  are  convinced,  and  thousands  wait  to  see  the 
issue,  who  have  persuasions  that  it  is  the  truth. "J 

George  Fox,  being  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  visit 
Whitehall  again,  preached  the  word  of  life  among  the  offi- 
cers and  attendants  of  the  Protector,  but  he  was  opposed  by 

*  This  is  the  first  Tract  in  his  Doctrinals. 
t  Win.  Crouch's  Mem.  Friends,  Lib.  XL  300. 
J  Barclay's  Letters  of    Early  Friends,  No.  III. 


HIS   REMAKES   ON   THE   TITHE   SYSTEM.  139 

a  priest,  who  was  retained  in  Oliver's  pay  as  news-monger. 
This  man,  being  a  writer  for  the  court  paper,  published  false 
and  absurd  reports  concerning  the  Friends ;  as  for  example, 
that  George  Fox  wore  silver  buttons,  and  that  he  hung  ribbons 
on  people's  arms  to  make  them  follow  him.  He  replied  that, 
"  His  buttons  were  not  silver,  but  ochimy ;  and  as  for  ribbons, 
,he  never  used  nor  wore  them  in  his  life."  "  These  priests,  the 
news-mongers,"  he  writes,  "  were  of  the  Independent  sect," 
like  those  of  Leicester  who  instigated  Colonel  Hacker,  to 
arrest  him  and  send  him  before  the  Protector.  They  were 
greatly  disturbed  at  the  success  of  his  religious  labours,  for 
"  There  was  a  great  convincement  in  London,  and  some  in  the 
Protector's  house  and  family." 

About  this  time,  he  wrote  several  papers  for  distribution. 
One  of  them  was  addressed,  "  To  Professors  of  Christianity," 
showing,  from  the  scriptures,  the  difference  between  that  out- 
ward formal  religion,  in  which  the  carnal  persecuting  nature  is 
unsubdued,  and  that  inward  and  spiritual  devotion,  which 
purifies  the  soul,  and  fills  it  with  love  to  God  and  man. 
Another  was  addressed  "  To  such  as  follow  the  world's  fashion." 
A  third  was,  an  exhortation  and  warning  to  the  Pope  and  all 
the  kings  and  rulers  of  Europe.  A  fourth  was  directed  to  the 
commissioners,  appointed  by  Cromwell,  to  examine  the  clergy 
who  were  candidates  for  benefices.  These  commissioners 
were  generally  called  triers ;  they  were  in  number  thirty- 
eight,  of  whom  some  were  Presbyterians,  others  Independents, 
and  a  few  Baptists.* 

In  addressing  these  triers,  George  Fox  demonstrates  that 
the  tithe  system  of  Great  Britain  is  inconsistent  with  the 
spirit  of  Christianity  and  the  practice  of  the  apostles.  He 
queries  of  them,  "  Did  not  Christ  put  an  end  to  that  priest- 
hood, tithes,  temple,  and  priest  ?  Doth  not  the  apostle  say, 
The  priesthood  is  changed,  the  law  is  changed,  and  the 
commandment  disannulled  ?  Might  not  they  have  pleaded  the 

*  Neal's  History  of  the  Puritans,  II.  144-5. 


140  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

law  of  God,  that  gave  them  tithes?  *  *  *  *  Was  not  the 
first  author  of  them  since  Christ's  time  the  pope,  or  some  of 
his  church  ?  Did  the  apostles  cast  men  into  prison  for  tithes, 
as  your  ministers  do  now  ?  As  instance :  Ralph  Holling- 
\vorth,  priest  of  Phillingham,  for  petty  tithes  not  exceeding 
six  shillings,  hath  cast  into  Lincoln  prison,  a  poor  thatcher, 
Thomas  Bromby ;  where  he  hath  been  about  eight  and  thirty 
weeks,  and  still  remains  prisoner :  and  the  priest  petitioned 
the  judge,  that  the  poor  man  might  not  labour  in  the  city, 
to  get  a  little  money  towards  his  maintenance  in  prison.  Is 
this  a  good  savour  amongst  you,  that  are  in  commission  to 
choose  ministers  ?  Is  this  glad  tidings  ?  to  cast  in  prison  a 
man  that  is  not  his  hearer,  because  he  could  not  put  into  his 
mouth  ?  Can  such  as  are  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  his 
wisdom,  own  such  things?  The  ministers  of  Christ  are  to 
plant  a  vineyard,  and  then  eat  of  the  fruit ;  to  plough,  sow, 
and  thresh,  and  get  the  corn ;  and  then  let  them  reap :  but 
not  cast  them  into  prison  for  whom  they  do  no  work.  Christ, 
when  he  sent  forth  his  ministers,  bid  them  give  freely  as  they 
had  received  freely ;  and  into  what  city  or  town  soever  they 
came,  inquire  who  were  worthy  and  there  abide;  and  what 
they  set  before  you,  said  he,  that  eat.  And  when  these  came 
back  again  to  Christ,  and  he  asked  them,  'If  they  wanted 
anything  ?'  they  said,  '  No.'  They  did  not  go  to  a  town,  and 
call  the  people  together,  to  know  how  much  they  might  have 
by  the  year,  as  these  that  are  in  the  apostacy  do  now.  The 
apostle  said,  Have  I  not  power  to  eat  and  to  drink  ?  But  he 
did  not  say  '  To  take  tithes,  easter  reckonings,  midsummer 
dues,  augmentations,  and  great  sums  of  money;  but  have  I 
not  power  to  eat  and  to  drink?  Yet  he  did  not  use  that 
power  among  the  Corinthians.  But  they  that  are  apostatized 
from  him,  will  take  tithes,  great  sums  of  money,  easter  reck- 
onings, and  midsummer  dues ;  and  cast  those  into  prison,  that 
will  not  give  it  them,  whom  they  do  not  work  for.  The  ox's 
mouth  must  not  be  muzzled  that  treads  out  the  corn  ;  but  see 
if  the  corn  be  trodden  out  in  you,  and  the  wheat  be  in  the 


NOTICE   OF   JAMES   PARNEL.  141 

garner?     This  is  from  a  lover  of  your  souls,  and  one  that 
desires  your  eternal  good. 

GEOKGE  Fox." 

After  witnessing  the  rapid  growth  and  firm  establishment 
of  Friends'  meetings  in  London,  he  travelled  for  some  months 
in  the  counties  adjacent,  frequently  visiting  the  metropolis, 
and  pursuing  his  usual  course  of  earnest  and  successful  labour 
in  the  gospel  ministry.  In  Kent  and  Sussex,  he  found  a 
ready  reception  for  his  doctrines,  which  were  embraced  by 
many.  At  Coggshell,  in  Essex,  about  two  thousand  persons 
attended  one  of  his  meetings,  in  which  divine  grace  and  power 
were  eminently  manifested.  At  Colchester,  he  visited  James 
Parnel,  who  was  then  in  prison  for  his  religious  principles. 
The  character  of  this  youthful  minister  was  so  extraordinary, 
that  a  brief  sketch  of  his  career  may  not  be  unacceptable  to 
the  reader. 

He  was  born  at  Retford,  in  Nottinghamshire,  and  enjoyed 
the  advantage  of  a  good  education.  At  about  sixteen  years 
of  age,  he  visited  George  Fox  in  the  prison  at  Carlisle,  by 
whose  ministry  he  was  so  effectually  reached,  that  he  was 
convinced  of  the  principles  of  Friends,  for  embracing  which 
he  was  despised  and  rejected  by  his  relatives.  Notwithstand- 
ing his  youth,  he  soon  became  an  able  and  successful  minister 
of  the  gospel.  Being  imprisoned  at  Cambridge  for  his  zealous 
exhortations,  and  afterwards  turned  out  of  town  like  a  vaga- 
bond, he  soon  came  back,  and  disputed  with  the  scholars  of 
the  university,  by  whom  he  was  rudely  treated. 

At  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  travelled  in  Essex,  and  coming 
to  Colchester  on  the  First-day  of  the  week,  he  preached  the 
gospel  in  the  parish  house  of  worship,  after  sermon,  and  sub- 
sequently in  a  great  meeting  appointed  for  him.  He  disputed 
with  the  town  lecturer,  and  another  clergyman,  in  the  French 
school,  all  of  one  day ;  so  that  many  were  convinced  of  his 
'doctrines,  among  whom  was  Stephen  Crisp,  a  man  of  learning 
and  ability,  that  afterwards  became  eminent  as  a  writer  and 
minister  in  the  Society  of  Friends. 


142  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

During  more  than  a  week,  James  Parnel  continued  at  Col- 
chester, preaching  and  conversing  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
but  his  pious  zeal  was  rewarded  with  many  blows,  which  he 
patiently  endured.  Once,  on  coming  out  of  a  place  of  wor- 
ship, he  was  struck  with  a  staff  by  one  of  his  opponents,  who 
said  to  him,  "There,  take  that  for  Christ's  sake."  He 
meekly  answered,  "  Friend,  I  do  receive  it  for  Jesus  Christ's 


Having  heard  that  a  fast  was  proclaimed  to  be  kept  at 
Coggshell,  to  pray  against  the  errors  of  the  people  called 
Quakers,  he  went  thither,  and  entered  the  parish  house  of 
worship,  where  the  minister,  who  was  an  Independent,  was 
preaching  against  the  Quakers,  as  deceivers.  James  Parnel 
stood  in  silence  till  he  had  done,  and  then  claimed  the  privi- 
lege of  replying.  His  request  not  being  granted,  a  discussion 
ensued,  during  which  the  clergyman  ascended  the  pulpit,  and 
began  to  pray ;  but  Parnel  not  taking  off  his  hat,  the  magis- 
trates ordered  him  to  put  it  off.  He  said  in  reply,  "  Order 
the  priest  to  put  off  his  cap ;"  and  then  he  withdrew  from  the 
house.  Soon  after,  he  was  arrested,  and  committed  to  the 
common  jail  at  Colchester. 

The  time  of  the  sessions  at  Chelmsford  being  come,  he  was 
fastened  to  a  chain,  with  several  felons  and  murderers,  and 
thus  led  eighteen  miles  to  the  place  of  trial.  Being  brought 
before  the  court,  he  was  indicted  for  contempt  of  magistracy 
and  ministry,  on  the  testimony  of  a  clergyman  and  two 
magistrates.  The  jury  not  being  willing  to  bring  in  a  verdict 
against  him,  the  judge  amerced  him  ,£40,  and  committed  him 
to  prison  until  the  fine  should  be  paid. 

He  was  confined  in  an  old  ruinous  castle,  said  to  have  been 
built  by  the  Romans,  and  his  friends  were  denied  access  to 
him.  The  jailor  and  his  wife  vied  with  each  other  in  abusing 
him.  She  caused  him  to  be  beaten,  withheld  the  victuals  his 
friends  brought  to  him,  and  denied  him  the  use  of  the  bed 
they  provided  for  him ;  so  that  he  was  compelled  to  lie  upon 
the  cold  damp  stones.  Afterwards  he  was  put  into  "  the  hole 


DEATH  OF  JAMES  PARNEL.  143 

in  the  wall,"  a  little  cell  arched  over  like  a  baker's  oven.  This 
cell  was  twelve  feet  from  the  ground,  and  the  ladder  by  which 
he  ascended  to  it,  was  six  feet  too  short,  so  that  he  had  to 
climb  up  by  a  rope. 

One  day,  when  climbing  to  his  cell  with  his  victuals  in  one 
hand,  he  caught  at  the  rope,  but  missing  it,  he  fell  on  the 
pavement  below,  and  was  so  much  bruised  that  he  was  taken 
up  for  dead.  He  was  then  put  into  another  cell  of  the  same 
kind,  but  smaller,  and  nearer  to  the  ground.  This  place  hav- 
ing no  window,  nor  any  other  means  of  ventilation,  when  the 
door  was  closed  he  was  almost  suffocated.  After  ten  or  eleven 
months'  imprisonment,  his  limbs  were  benumbed,  and  his  body 
weakened ;  when,  being  taken  sick,  two  of  his  friends,  Thomas 
Shortland  and  Ann  Langly,  were  permitted  to  see  him. 

When  death  approached,  he  said,  "Here  I  die  innocently." 
A  little  after,  he  was  heard  to  say,  "Now  I  must  go  I"  and 
turning  his  head  to  Thomas,  he  said,  "  This  death  I  must  die. 
Thomas,  I  have  seen  great  things :  don't  hold  me,  but  let  me 
go."  Then  he  said  again,  "  Will  you  hold  me  ?"  to  which  Ann 
replied,  "No,  dear  heart,  we  will  not  hold  thee."  He  had 
often  said,  "  that  one  hour's  sleep  would  cure  him  of  all,"  and 
the  last  words  he  was  heard  to  say  were,  "Now  I  go."  Then 
he  stretched  himself  out,  and  after  sleeping  about  an  hour,  he 
quietly  breathed  his  last.* 

Thus  perished  a  valiant  soldier  of  the  cross,  who,  for  his 
testimony  against  a  corrupt  church  and  persecuting  ministry, 
was  cut  off  in  the  flower  of  his  youth,  and  that  too,  under 
the  protectorate  of  Cromwell,  the  professed  friend  of  religious 
liberty. 

*  Sewel,  1. 140-3.  See  also  "  Fruits  of  a  Fast,"  &c.  by  James  Parnel. 
London  ed.  1655. 


144  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Cromwell's  pretensions  examined  —  Milton  on  religious  liberty  —  One 
thousand  Friends  in  prison — Hostility  of  the  clergy  and  magistrates 
and  indifference  of  the  Protector  —  George  Fox  revisits  Dray  ton  — 
Proceeds  to  Warwickshire  —  Is  visited  by  W.  Edmundson  —  Sketch 
of  W.  Edmundson's  life — George  Fox  visits  a  sick  woman  among  the 
Baptists  —  Returns  to  London  —  Meets  with  J.  Nayler  —  Travels  in 
several  counties,  escorted  by  a  captain  —  Sends  an  address  to  Land's 
End  —  Arrested  by  Major  Ceely,  and  sent  to  Lanceston  jail  —  Meets 
General  Desborough — Trial  before  Judge  Glyn — Offence  of  the  hat — 
Paper  on  swearing — Major  Ceely's  malice — Defence  of  George  Fox — 
He  is  remanded  to  prison. 

1655-6. 

THE  eulogists  of  Oliver  Cromwell  have  claimed  for  him  the 
high  distinction  of  being  the  chief  instrument  in  promoting 
civil  and  religious  liberty  in  England.  He  made,  indeed, 
great  professions  of  liberal  principles,  but  in  practice  he  was 
more  despotic  than  the  Stuarts  ;  arrogating  to  himself  all  the 
powers  of  government,  dissolving  the  Parliaments  at  his 
pleasure,  and  depriving  the  people  of  their  ancient  privileges. 
The  only  palliation  that  could  be  offered  for  his  usurpation, 
was  the  supposed  necessity  of  employing  his  dauntless  courage 
and  vigorous  intellect  to  control  discordant  factions,  and  save 
the  state  from  anarchy. 

His  secretary  Milton,  scarcely  less  renowned  for  his  love 
of  liberty  than  for  his  learning  and  genius,  wrote  a  sonnet,  in 
which  he  addressed  the  Protector  as  "  our  chief  of  men,"  and 
after  alluding  to  his  victorious  career,  and  wonderful  advance- 
ment, reminds  him  that 

"Much  remains 

To  conquer  still ;  peace  hath  her  victories 
No  less  renowned  than  war :  new  foes  arise 
Threatening  to  bind  our  souls  with  secular  chains ; 
Help  us  to  save  free  conscience  from  the  paw 
Of  hireling  wolves,  whose  gospel  is  their  maw." 


CROMWELL  AND   RELIGIOUS   TOLERATION.  145 

The  great  poet  also  wrote  a  treatise  "  On  the  likeliest  means 
to  remove  hirelings  out  of  the  church,"  in  which  he  shows  the 
dangers  that  attend  the  union  of  church  and  state,  or  the  in- 
termeddling of  the  civil  power  with  ecclesiastical  affairs.  One 
of  the  means  proposed  to  remove  hirelings  out  of  the  church, 
was  to  deprive  them  of  the  support  derived  from  the  tithe 
system ;  but  Cromwell  evinced  no  disposition  to  relieve  the 
people  from  this  burden,  imposed  on  them  by  an  apostate 
church.  His  aim  was  to  strengthen  his  own  power  by  a  skil- 
ful distribution  of  ecclesiastical  preferments;  hence  he  ap- 
pointed for  his  chaplains,  an  Independent,  a  Presbyterian,  and 
a  Baptist;  and  his  "triers,"  for  the  examination  of  ministers, 
were  selected  from  these  three  denominations,  who  shared 
among  them  the  spoils  taken  from  the  Anglican  clergy. 

He  maintained  that  "  The  supreme  magistrate  should  exer- 
cise his  conscience  in  erecting  what  form  of  church  govern- 
ment he  is  satisfied  should  be  set  up."*  This  doctrine  takes 
from  the  people  all  ecclesiastical  power,  and  places  it  in  the 
hands  of  the  chief  magistrate ;  a  policy  which  is  alike  de- 
structive to  religious  liberty,  and  detrimental  to  public  morals. 
He  professed  a  desire  to  extend  a  free  toleration  to  all  reli- 
gious sects,  who  were  peaceable  in  their  demeanour ;  but  if 
such  was  his  real  intention,  he  failed  most  signally  in  its 
accomplishment ;  for,  during  the  latter  part  of  his  administra- 
tion, while  in  the  plenitude  of  his  power,  there  were  seldom 
fewer  than  one  thousand  Friends  in  prison  on  account  of  their 
religious  testimonies. 

This  severe  persecution,  from  which  other  sects  were  mostly 
exempted,  may  be  attributed  to  the  hostility  of  the  clergy, 
who,  fearing  the  loss  of  their  revenues,  reprobated  the  doc- 
trines of  Friends,  as  not  only  subversive  of  ecclesiastical 
power,  but,  as  they  pretended,  inimical  to  civil  government. 
In  many  places  this  hostility  was  imbibed  by  the  magistrates 
and  people,  who  manifested  great  enmity  and  contempt  for 

*  D'Aubigne's  Cromwell,  Chap.  X. 
10 


146  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

a  society  that  dispensed  with  all  ceremony  in  religious  wor- 
ship, and  addressed  even  rulers  and  judges  without  the  usual 
tokens  of  reverence.  When  no  other  pretext  could  he  found, 
the  oath  of  abjuration  of  the  Pope  was  often  tendered  to  them 
by  the  persecuting  justices,  and  because  they  could  not  swear 
in  any  case,  they  were  committed  to  prison. 

In  the  year  1655,  George  Fox  wrote  to  the  Protector,  set- 
ting forth  the  increasing  sufferings  of  Friends,  who,  for  preach- 
ing in  markets  and  fairs  against  pride,  wantonness,  cheating, 
and  swearing,  were  cast  into  prison,  while  those  who  were  guilty 
of  such  evil  practices,  were  left  at  liberty.  The  conclusion 
of  his  letter  is  here  subjoined : 

"Many  have  suffered  great  fines  because  they  could  not 
swear,  but  abide  in  Christ's  doctrine,  who  saith,  '  Swear  not 
at  all;'  and  by  that  means  are  they  made  a  prey  upon,  for 
abiding  in  the  command  of  Christ.  Many  are  cast  into  prison 
and  made  a  prey  upon,  because  they  cannot  take  the  oath  of 
abjuration,  though  they  denied  all  that  is  abjured  in  it ;  and 
by  that  means  many  of  the  messengers  and  ministers  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  are  cast  into  prison  because  they  will  not 
swear,  nor  go  out  of  Christ's  command.  Therefore,  0  man  ! 
consider ;  to  the  measure  of  the  life  of  God  in  thee  I  speak. 
Many  also  lie  in  jails,  because  they  cannot  pay  the  priests' 
tithes;  many  have  their  goods  spoiled,  and  treble  damages 
taken  of  them ;  many  are  whipped  and  beaten  in  the  houses 
of  correction,  who  have  broken  no  law.  These  things  are 
done  in  thy  name,  in  order  to  protect  them  in  these  actions. 
If  men,  fearing  God,  bore  the  sword,  and  covetousness  was 
hated,  and  men  of  courage  for  God  were  set  up,  then  they 
would  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers,  and  a  praise  to  them  that  do 
well ;  and  not  cause  such  to  suffer.  Here  equity  would  be 
heard  in  our  land,  and  righteousness  would  stand  up  and  take 
place ;  which  giveth  not  place  to  the  unrighteous,  but  judgeth 
it.  To  the  measure  of  God's  spirit  in  thee  I  speak,  that  thou 
mayest  consider  and  come  to  rule  for  God :  that  thou  iwiyest 
answer  that  which  is  of  God  in  every  man's  conscience ;  for 


HE   KEVISITS   DRAYTON.  147 

that  is  it  which  bringeth  to  honour  all  men  in  the  Lord. 
Therefore  consider  for  whom  thou  rulest,  that  thou  mayest 
come  to  receive  power  from  God  to  rule  for  him ;  and  all  that 
is  contrary  to  God  may  by  his  light  be  condemned. 

"  From  a  lover  of  thy  soul,  who  desires  thy  eternal  good. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

This  remonstrance,  and  others  of  similar  import,  addressed 
to  the  Protector,  appear  to  have  had  but  little  effect ;    for 
Oliver  was  more  intent  on  securing  his  own  aggrandizement, 
than  on  protecting  a  peaceable,  inoffensive  people,  whose  reli- 
gious principles  forbade  their  promoting  his  ambitious  designs. 
After  a  short  stay  in  London,  George  Fox  proceeded  to 
Bedfordshire   and  Northamptonshire,    holding   meetings,    in 
which  "  many  were  turned  to  the  Lord."     Coming  into  Lei- 
cestershire, he  understood  that  Col.  Hacker  had  threatened  to 
imprison  him  again.     Nowise  daunted  by  this  report,  he  went 
to  the  same  meeting  where  he  was  before  arrested,  and  the 
Colonel's  wife  and  his  marshal  being  present,  both  became 
proselytes  to  the  doctrines  he  taught.    He  says  in  his  Journal, 
"  The  glorious,  powerful  day  of  the  Lord  was  exalted  over 
all,  and  many  were  convinced  that  day.     There  were  at  that 
meeting  two  justices  of  the  peace  from  Wales,  named  Peter 
Price  and  Walter  Jenkins,  who  came  both  to  be  ministers  of 
Christ." 

Soon  after,  he  came  to  Drayton,  his  native  place,  where 
recently  so  many  priests  had  been  arrayed  against  him,  but 
now  none  of  them  appeared  to  oppose  him.  He  inquired  of 
his  relatives,  "Where  were  all  the  priests  ?"  They  answered, 
"  The  priest  of  Non-eaton  is  dead,  and  eight  or  nine  of  them 
are  seeking  to  get  his  benefice.  They  will  let  you  alone  now, 
for  they  are  like  a  company  of  crows,  when  a  rotten  sheep  is 
dead ;  they  all  gather  together  to  pull  at  the  carcase ;  so  do 
the  priests  for  a  fallen  benefice." 

Being  informed  that  at  Evesham  the  magistrates  had  cast 
several  Friends  into  prison,  and  that,  hearing  of  his  coming, 


148  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

they  had  erected  a  high  pair  of  stocks ;  he  nevertheless  pro- 
ceeded to  that  place,  where,  in  the  evening,  he  had  a  large, 
precious  meeting,  and  next  morning  he  visited  his  friends  in 
two  prisons,  among  whom  was  Humphrey  Smith,  formerly  a 
clergyman,  but  now  a  free  minister  of  Christ." 

No  sooner  had  George  Fox  left  the  prison,  and  turned  to 
go  out  of  town,  than  he  saw  the  magistrates  coming  up  the 
street  to  seize  him,  but  he  continued  on  his  way  and  escaped 
with  a  thankful  heart. 

At  Badgley  in  Warwickshire,  he  met  with  William  Edmund- 
son,  who  had  come  from  his  residence  in  Ireland  purposely  to 
see  him.  William  was  a  native  of  Westmoreland,  in  the  north 
of  England.  Early  in  life,  he  had  been  brought  under  the 
influence  of  religious  impressions,  but  he  entered  the  army,  and 
served  under  Cromwell  in  Scotland,  in  the  year  1650.  The 
next  year  he  was  at  the  battle  of  Worcester,  where  the 
King's  army  was  totally  defeated.  "After  the  fight,"  he  says 
in  his  Journal,  "  I  was  troubled  in  mind  for  my  vanity,  for 
the  Lord  preserved  my  life  still,  but  I  fled  from  judgment  and 
made  merry  over  God's  witness  in  my  conscience,  which  testi- 
fied against  me."  He  again  marched  with  the  army  into 
Scotland,  having  charge  of  some  men  for  recruiting  other 
companies  there.  After  delivering  up  his  charge,  he  left  the 
army,  and  returned  to  the  north  of  England  to  visit  his  rela- 
tives. He  then  married,  and  with  his  wife  went  to  Ireland, 
taking  with  him  a  supply  of  goods  to  commence  shop-keeping. 

In  1653,  his  stock  of  goods  being  sold,  he  returned  to  the 
north  of  England,  at  the  time  that  George  Fox  and  James 
Nayler  were  holding  meetings  there.  Having  long  wished  to 
become  acquainted  with  Friends,  he  and  two  of  his  relatives 
attended  a  meeting  held  by  James  Nayler,  under  whose 
ministry  they  were,  he  says,  "  all  three  convinced  of  the 
Lord's  blessed  truth,"  for  God's  witness  in  our  hearts  answered 
to  the  truth  of  what  was  spoken,  and  the  Lord's  former  deal- 
ings with  me  came  fresh  into  my  remembrance.  Then  I  knew 


WILLIAM   EDMUNDSON.  149 

it  was  the  Lord's  hand  that  had  been  striving  with  me  for  a 
long  time." 

When  he  returned  into  Ireland  to  resume  his  business,  his 
mind  underwent  a  great  conflict  of  religious  exercise.  "  My 
sleep"  he  says,  "  departed  from  me,  and  many  times  in  the 
night  under  great  trouble  of  mind,  crying  and  weeping,  I 
wished  for  day,  and  when  day  came,  my  sorrows  remaining,  I 
wished  for  night."  His  wife  and  brother,  being  also  convinced, 
they  three  held  meetings  together,  twice  a  week,  at  his  house. 
In  a  little  while,  four  more  persons  joined  their  meeting  at 
Antrim,  which  afterwards  continued  to  increase.  He  was 
called  to  speak  a  few  words  in  gospel  ministry,  but  in  much 
fear,  he  says,  "  lest  a  wrong  spirit  should  get  entrance  and 
deceive  me,  in  the  likeness  of  an  angel  of  light,  for  I  was  sen- 
sible of  my  own  weakness."  Feeling  an  impression  of  duty 
to  confer  with  George  Fox,  he  went  to  England  and  met  him 
at  Badgley  as  already  related.  "When  the  meeting  was 
ended,"  he  says,  "I  went  to  George  Fox,  and  he  took  notice  of 
me ;  we  went  into  an  orchard,  and  kneeling  down,  he  prayed. 
The  Lord's  heavenly  power  and  presence  were  there ;  he 
was  tender  over  me.  I  told  him  where  I  lived,  of  several 
being  convinced  in  Ireland,  of  the  openness  among  the  people 
in  the  north  of  that  nation  to  hear  the  truth  declared,  and 
the  want  of  ministering  Friends  in  the  gospel  there.  He  wrote 
the  following  epistle  to  Friends,  which  he  sent  with  me ;  viz : 

FKIENDS  : — In  that  which  convinced  you,  wait ;  that  you  may 
have  that  removed  you  are  convinced  of.  And,  all  my  dear 
friends,  dwell  in  the  life,  love,  power,  and  wisdom  of  God,  in 
unity  one  with  another,  and  with  God;  and  the  peace  and 
wisdom  of  God  fill  all  your  hearts,  that  nothing  may  rule  in 
you  but  the  life  which  stands  in  the  Lord  God. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

"I  returned,"  says  W.  Edmundson,  "to  Ireland,  and  read 
the  foregoing  epistle  to  Friends,  in  the  meeting;  there  the 
power  of  the  Lord  seized  on  us,  whereby  we  were  mightily 


150  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

shaken  and  broken  into  tears  and  weeping."  He  became  an 
able  minister  of  the  gospel,  was  eminently  useful  in  the  admin- 
istration of  church  discipline,  and  laboured  successfully  in  the 
cause  of  truth,  in  Ireland,  England  and  America. 

George  Fox,  having  come  to  Baldock  in  Hertfordshire,  in- 
quired, after  his  usual  manner,  for  serious  people,  or  profes- 
sors of  religion.  He  was  informed,  "  There  were  some 
Baptists, and  a  woman  of  that  profession  sick."  He  went  to 
see  her,  and  thus  describes  the  interviews.  "  They  told  me, 
'  She  was  not  a  woman  for  this  world ;  but  if  I  had  any  thing 
to  comfort  her,  concerning  the  world  to  come,  I  might  speak 
to  her.'  I  was  moved  of  the  Lord  to  speak  to  her  ;  and  he 
raised  her  up  again,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  town  and 
country.  Her  husband's  name  was  Baldock.  This  Baptist 
woman  and  her  husband  came  to  be  convinced,  and  many 
hundreds  of  people  have  met  at  their  house  since.  Great 
meetings  and  convincements  were  in  those  parts  afterwards ; 
many  received  the  word  of  life,  and  sat  down  under  the 
teaching  of  Christ  their  Saviour." 

On  returning  to  London,  he  found  the  meetings  of  Friends 
prosperous  and  increasing,  but  John  Toldervey,  one  of  the 
members,  had  fallen  into  error  and  brought  reproach  upon  his 
profession,  which  was  cause  of  grief  to  his  friends,  and  of  re- 
joicing to  their  adversaries,  who  issued  a  publication,  intended 
to  render  them  odious.  The  poor  man,  however,  who  gave 
occasion  for  this  scandal,  came  to  see  his  folly,  endeavoured 
to  repair  the  wrong  he  had  done,  and  was  restored  to  the 
society.  James  Nayler  was  at  that  time  in  London,  in  high 
esteem  for  his  religious  services,  but  George  Fox  was  then 
'struck  with  a  fear  concerning  him,'  which  was  afterwards 
mournfully  verified. 

Leaving  London,  accompanied  by  Edward  Pyot  of  Bristol, 
he  travelled  through  several  counties  of  the  western  circuit, — 
Hampshire,  Dorsetshire,  Devonshire  and  Cornwall,  —  in  all 
of  which  he  held  meetings  and  made  proselytes.  At  Wey- 
mouth,  he  inquired  after  serious  people,  and,  "About  four- 
score of  them  assembled  at  a  priest's  house."  "Most  of 


REPKOVES  A  TEOOPER  FOR  LEVITY.          151 

them,"  he  says,  "received  the  word  of  life,  and  were  turned 
to  their  teacher  Christ  Jesus ;  who  had  enlightened  them  with 
his  divine  light,  by  which  they  might  see  their  sins,  and  him 
who  saveth  from  sin."  A  blessed  meeting  we  had  with  them, 
and  they  received  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  with  gladness  of 
heart.  A  Friends'  meeting  was  at  once  established  there,  and 
he  took  his  departure. 

There  was  in  that  town,  a  captain  of  a  troop  of  horse,  who 
would  fain  have  had  him  to  stay  longer,  and  went  with  him 
seven  miles  accompanied  by  his  troop,  which  was  certainly  a 
singular  escort  for  a  ministering  Friend.  "  This  captain,"  he 
writes,  "was  the  fattest,  merriest,  cheerfullest  man,  and  the 
most  given  to  laughter,  that  I  ever  met  with :  insomuch  that  I 
was  several  times  moved  to  speak  in  the  dreadful  power  of  the 
Lord  to  him ;  yet  it  was  become  so  customary  to  him,  that  he 
would  presently  laugh  at  any  thing  he  saw.  But  I  still 
admonished  him  to  sobriety,  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and 
sincerity.  We  lay  at  an  inn  that  night ;  and  the  next  morning 
I  was  moved  to  speak  to  him  again,  when  he  parted  from 
us.  Next  time  I  saw  him,  he  told  me,  *  When  I  spoke  to  him 
at  parting,  the  power  of  the  Lord  so  struck  him,  that  before 
he  got  home  he  was  serious  enough,  and  had  left  his  laughing. 
He  afterwards  was  convinced,  and  became  a  serious  good  man, 
and  died  in  the  truth." 

Proceeding  towards  Land's-End,  George  Fox  came  to  Mar- 
ket-Jew, where  there  was  an  attempt  made  to  arrest  him  by  the 
mayor  and  aldermen,  who  sent  their  constables  to  summon 
him  before  them.  As  the  officers,  however,  had  no  warrant 
for  his  arrest,  he  declined  to  go  with  them,  and  reproved  them 
for  their  incivility  to  strangers,  who  had  given  them  no  cause 
of  offence.  Before  he  left  the  town,  he  wrote  a  letter  of 
exhortation  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  seven  parishes  at  the 
Land's-End,  which  he  sent  by  a  man  going  to  St.  Ives.  This 
man  proved  to  be  a  servant  of  Peter  Ceely,  a  major  in  the 
army,  and  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  that  county.  When 
George  Fox  and  his  companion  came  to  St.  Ives,  Major  Ceely, 


152  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

who  had  received  the  letter,  asked  the  former  if  he  would  own 
it.  He  said,  yes.  Then  the  major  tendered  to  them  the  oath 
of  abjuration,  and  George  handed  to  him  a  copy  of  the  answer 
to  it,  which  he  had  given  to  the  Protector.  The  major  had 
with  him  "  a  silly  young  priest,"  who  asked  many  frivolous 
questions,  and  wished  to  cut  the  hair  of  George  Fox,  which 
being  longer  than  usual,  was  probably  looked  upon  as  an  evi- 
dence of  disaffection  to  Cromwell  and  the  Puritan  party  then 
in  power. 

After  a  tedious  examination,  George  Fox,  Edward  Pyot, 
and  William  Salt,  were  placed  under  a  guard  of  troopers,  with 
a  warrant  to  conduct  them  to  the  governor  of  Pendennis 
castle,  and  if  he  should  not  be  at  home,  they  were  to  be 
lodged  in  Lanceston  jail.  Notwithstanding  the  harsh  and 
rude  treatment  received  from  the  soldiers,  the  prisoners  man- 
aged to  preach  to  the  people  in  the  several  towns  through 
which  they  were  conducted.  "  On  First-day,"  says  George 
Fox,  in  his  Journal,  "  several  of  the  towns-people  gathered 
around  us,  and  whilst  I  held  the  soldiers  in  discourse,  Edward 
Pyot  spoke  to  the  people  ;  and  afterward,  Edward  Pyot  held 
the  soldiers  in  discourse  whilst  I  spoke  to  the  people.  In  the 
meantime,  the  other  Friend  got  out  backwards,  and  went  to 
the  steeple-house,  to  speak  to  the  priest  and  people.  The 
people  were  exceedingly  desperate,  in  a  mighty  rage  against 
him,  and  abused  him.  The  soldiers  also  missing  him,  were  in 
a  great  rage,  and  threatened  to  kill  us ;  but  I  declared  the 
day  of  the  Lord  and  the  word  of  eternal  life  to  the  people." 

On  the  road,  they  met  Major  General  Desborough,  the 
captain  of  whose  troop  being  acquainted  with  George  Fox, 
exclaimed,  "Oh,  Mr.  Fox,  what  do  you  here?"  He  replied, 
" I  am  a  prisoner."  "  Alack  !"  said  the  captain,  " for  what?" 
"  I  was  taken  up  as  I  was  travelling."  "  Then,"  said  he,  "  I 
will  speak  to  my  lord,  and  he  will  set  you  at  liberty."  He 
accordingly  rode  up  to  the  general's  carriage,  and  spoke  to 
him.  The  prisoners  also  related  how  they  were  taken.  The 
general  spoke  against  the  doctrine  of  "The  Light  of  Christ," 


HIS   TRIAL   AT   LANCESTON.  153 

whereupon  George  Fox  exhorted  him,  but  without  making 
much  impression.  General  Desborough  then  told  the  soldiers 
they  might  carry  the  prisoners  to  Lanceston,  for  he  could  not 
stay  to  talk,  lest  his  horses  should  take  cold. 

Being  lodged  in  Lanceston  jail,  they  were  required  by  the 
jailor  each  to  pay  seven  shillings  a  week  for  horse-feed,  and 
seven  shillings  for  their  diet.  Many  friendly  people  came  to 
see  them,  and  some  embraced  their  doctrines  ;  but  the  priests 
were  exasperated,  and  said,  "  This  people  '  thou'  and  '  thee' 
all  men  without  respect,  and  will  not  put  off  their  hats,  nor 
bow  the  knee  to  any  man ;  but  we  shall  see,  when  the  assize 
comes,  whether  they  will  dare  to  '  thou'  and  '  thee'  the  judge 
and  keep  on  their  hats  before  him." 

It  was  nine  weeks,  from  the  time  of  their  commitment  to 
the  assizes,  held  in  the  spring  of  1656,  when  a  great  concourse 
attended  to  witness  their  trial.  The  people  filled  the  streets, 
through  which  the  prisoners  were  guarded  by  a  troop  of  horse. 
Judge  Glyn,  a  Welshman,  then  chief  justice  of  England,  was 
on  the  bench.  When  they  were  brought  into  court,  George 
Fox  said,  "  Peace  be  amongst  you." 

JUDGE  GLYN,  (to  the  jailor.)  "What  be  these  you  have 
brought  here  into  court?" 

JAILOR.     "Prisoners,  my  lord." 

JUDGE,  .(to  the  prisoners,)  "  Why  do  you  not  put  off  your 
hats  ?" 

They  said  nothing. 

"Put  off  your  hats,"  said  the  judge  again. 

Still,  they  said  nothing. 

JUDGE.     "  The  court  commands  you  to  put  off  your  hats." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Where  did  ever  any  magistrate,  king,  or 
judge,  from  Moses  to  Daniel,  command  any  to  put  off  their 
hats,  when  they  came  before  them  in  their  courts,  either 
amongst  the  Jews,  (the  people  of  God,)  or  amongst  the  hea- 
then ?  And  if  the  law  of  England  doth  command  any  such 
thing,  show  me  that  law  either  written  or  printed." 


154  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

JUDGE,  (in  an  angry  tone.)  "  I  do  not  carry  my  law-books 
on  my  back." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Tell  me  where  it  is  printed  in  any  statute 
book,  that  I  may  read  it." 

JUDGE.     "  Take  him  away — prevaricator  !     I'll  firk  him." 

The  prisoners  were  then  taken  away  and  put  among  the 
thieves  ;  but  presently  the  judge  called  to  the  jailor  to  bring 
them  up  again. 

JUDGE,  (to  George  Fox.)  Come!  where  had  they  any  hats, 
from  Moses  to  Daniel !  Come  answer  me,  I  have  you  fast 
now." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Thou  mayst  read  in  the  third  of  Daniel 
that  the  three  children  were  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace  by 
Nebuchadnezzar's  command,  with  their  coats,  their  hose,  and 
hats  on." 

JUDGE.     "  Take  them  away,  jailor." 

Accordingly  they  were  removed  from  court  and  again  con- 
ducted to  prison  under  a  guard  of  troops.  They  had  with 
them  several  "  scores  of  books,"  relating  to  Friends'  principles, 
intended  for  distribution  among  inquirers,  but  these  were 
violently  taken  from  them,  by  order  of  the  judge  and  justices. 
In  the  afternoon,  they  were  again  brought  into  court,  when 
George  Fox  observing  the  jurymen  and  others  taking  oaths, 
was  grieved  to  see  such  a  manifest  violation  of  Christ's  com- 
mand ;  and  therefore  handed  forth  a  paper,  which  he  had 
with  him,  concerning  swearing.*  This  paper  passing  from 
the  jury  to  the  justices,  they  handed  it  to  the  judge,  who  di- 
rected the  clerk  to  ask  George  Fox,  "Whether  that  seditious 
paper  was  his  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  If  you  will  read  it  up  in  open  court  that 
I  may  hear  it;  if  it  is  mine,  I  will  own  it,  and  stand  by  it." 

Clerk.     "Take  it  yourself  and  examine  it." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  I  desire  that  it  may  be  read,  that  all  the 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Testimonies,  at  the  end  of  this  volume. 


FALSE   ACCUSATIONS.  155 

country  may  hear  it,  and  judge  whether  there  is  any  sedition 
in  it  or  not,  for  if  there  is  I  am  willing  to  suffer  for  it." 

At  last  the  clerk  read  it  with  an  audible  voice,  that  all  the 
people  might  hear  it.  When  he  had  ended,  George  Fox  said, 
"  I  own  it  and  so  may  you  too,  unless  you  deny  the  scriptures : 
for  is  not  this  scripture  language — the  words  and  command 
of  Christ  and  the  apostle,  which  all  true  Christians  ought  to 
obey?"  They  then  laid  aside  the  paper,  and  the  judge  re- 
turned to  the  subject  of  their  hats ;  bidding  the  jailor  take 
them  off,  which  he  did,  and  handed  them  to  the  prisoners,  who 
put  them  on  again.  George  Fox  said  to  the  judge  and  justices, 
"Why  have  we  been  detained  in  prison  these  nine  weeks, 
seeing  that  nothing  is  objected  to  us,  but  about  our  hats  ?  As 
for  putting  off  our  hats,  that  is  an  honour  which  God  will  lay 
in  the  dust,  though  you  make  so  much  ado  about  it.  The 
honour  which  is  of  men  and  which  men  seek  one  of  another, 
is  a  mark  of  unbelievers;  for  'how  can  ye  believe,'  saith 
Christ,  '  who  receive  honour  one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the 
honour  that  cometh  from  God  only  ?'  Christ  saith,  '  I  receive 
not  honour  from  men,'  and  all  true  Christians  should  be  of  his 
mind." 

The  judge  then  made  a  pompous  speech,  stating  that  he 
represented  the  Protector's  person,  who  made  him  Lord  Chief 
Justice  of  England,  and  sent  him  on  that  circuit.  George  Fox 
replied,  "  We  desire,  then,  that  thou  wouldst  do  us  justice  for 
our  false  imprisonment,  which  we  have  suffered  nine  weeks 
wrongfully."  But,  instead  of  this,  an  indictment  was  brought 
in  against  them,  so  full  of  false  charges,  that  it  might  be 
supposed  to  relate  to  some  of  the  thieves.  George  Fox  told 
them  "  It  was  all  false ;"  and  he  asked  for  justice  for  their 
false  imprisonment,  being  taken  up  by  Major  Ceely,  without 
cause,  while  on  their  journey. 

MAJOR  CEELY.  "  May  it  please  you,  my  lord,  this  man 
(pointing  to  Creorge  Fox)  went  aside  with  me,  and  told  me 
how  serviceable  I  might  be  for  his  design ;  that  he  could  raise 
forty  thousand  men  at  an  hour's  warning,  involve  the  nation 


156  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

in  blood,  and  so  bring  in  King  Charles.  I  would  have  aided 
him  out  of  the  country,  but  he  would  not  go.  If  it  please 
you,  my  lord,  I  have  a  witness  to  swear  it."  He  then  called 
upon  his  witness,  but  the  judge  not  being  forward  to  examine 
him,  the  following  dialogue  ensued : 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  desire  that  my  mittimus  may  be  read  in 
the  face  of  the  court  and  country,  in  which  my  crime  is  signi- 
fied, for  which  I  was  sent  to  prison." 

JUDGE  GLYN.     "  It  shall  not  be  read." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  It  ought  to  be  read,  seeing  that  it  con- 
cerns my  liberty  and  my  life." 

JUDGE.     "  It  shall  not  be  read." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  It  ought  to  be  read ;  for  if  I  have  done 
anything  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds,  let  all  the  country 
know  it."  Then  turning  to  a  fellow-prisoner,  he  added,  "•  Thou 
hast  a  copy,  read  it  up." 

JUDGE.  "It  shall  not  be  read.  Jailor,  take  him  away. 
I'll  see  whether  he  or  I  shall  be  master." 

So  he  was  taken  away,  but  being  soon  called  in  again,  he 
renewed  his  demand  for  the  mittimus  to  be  read;  which  at 
length  was  done  by  a  Friend,  one  of  his  fellow-prisoners, 
and  the  whole  court  listened  in  silence,  for  the  people  were 
eager  to  hear  it. 

The  mittimus,  signed  by  Peter  Ceely,  stated  that  the 
prisoners  "  Had  spread  several  papers  tending  to  the  disturb- 
ance of  the  public  peace,  and  could  not  render  any  lawful 
cause  for  coming  into  those  parts,  being  persons  altogether 
unknown,  having  no  pass  for  travelling  up  and  down  the 
country,  and  refusing  to  give  security  for  their  good  beha- 
viour, according  to  the  law  in  that  behalf  provided,  and 
refused  to  take  the  oath  of  abjuration,"  &c. 

When  the  reading  was  ended,  George  Fox  made  his 
defence  as  follows : 

"  Thou  that  sayest  thou  art  Chief  Justice  of  England,  and 
you  justices,  know  that,  if  I  had  put  in  sureties,  I  might  have 
gone  whither  I  pleased,  and  have  carried  on  the  design  (if  I 


HIS   DEFENCE.  157 

had  had  one)  which  Major  Ceely  hath  charged  me  with.  And 
if  I  had  spoken  those  words  to  him,  which  he  hath  here  de- 
clared, judge  ye  whether  bail  or  mainprize  could  have  been 
taken  in  that  case."  Then  turning  his  speech  to  Major 
Ceely,  he  said,  "  When  or  where  did  I  take  thee  aside  ?  Was 
not  thy  house  full  of  rude  people,  and  thou  as  rude  as  any 
of  them,  at  our  examinations ;  so  that  I  asked  for  a  constable, 
or  some  other  officer,  to  keep  the  people  civil  ?  But  if  thou 
art  my  accuser,  why  sittest  thou  on  the  bench  ?  It  is  not  the 
place  of  accusers  to  sit  with  the  judge.  Thou  oughtest  to 
come  down,  and  stand  by  me,  and  look  me  in  the  face.  Be- 
sides, I  would  ask  the  judge  and  justices,  '  Whether  or  no 
Major  Ceely  is  not  guilty  of  this  treason,  which  he  charges 
against  me,  in  concealing  it  so  long  as  he  hath  done  ?  Does 
he  understand  his  place,  either  as  a  soldier,  or  a  justice  of  the 
peace  ?  For  he  tells  you  here,  '  That  I  went  aside  with  him, 
and  told  him  what  a  design  I  had  in  hand,  and  how  service- 
able he  might  be  for  my  design :  that  I  could  raise  forty 
thousand  men  in  an  hour's  time,  bring  in  King  Charles,  and 
involve  the  nation  in  blood.'  He  saith,  moreover,  'He  would 
have  aided  me  out  of  the  country,  but  I  would  not  go ;  and 
therefore  he  committed  me  to  prison,  for  want  of  sureties  for 
good  behaviour,'  as  the  mittimus  declares.  Now,  do  you  not 
see  plainly,  that  Major  Ceely  is  guilty  of  this  plot  and  treason 
he  talks  of,  and  hath  made  himself  a  party  to  it,  by  desiring 
me  to  go  out  of  the  country,  demanding  bail  of  me,  and  not 
charging  me  with  this  pretended  treason  till  now,  nor  dis- 
covering it.  But  I  deny  and  abhor  his  words,  and  am  inno- 
cent of  his  devilish  design." 

The  judge,  seeing  that  Major  Ceely  had  ensnared  himself, 
and  that  his  accusation  was  false,  took  no  further  notice  of  it. 

MAJOR  CEELY,  (to  the  judge,) — "If  it  please  you,  my 
lord,  to  hear  me :  this  man  struck  me  and  gave  me  such  a 
blow,  as  I  never  had  in  my  life." 

GEOKGE  Fox.  "  Major  Ceely,  art  thou  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  a  major  of  a  troop  of  horse,  and  tellest  the  judge 


158  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

in  the  face  of  the  court  and  country,  that  I,  a  prisoner,  struck 
thee,  and  gave  thee  such  a  blow  as  thou  never  hadst  the  like 
in  thy  life?  What!  art  thou  not  ashamed?  Prithee,  Major 
Ceely,  where  did  I  strike  thee  ?  and  who  is  thy  witness  for 
that?" 

MAJOR  CEELY.  "  It  was  in  the  castle  green,  and  Captain 
Bradden  was  standing  by  when  you  struck  me." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  desire  the  judge  to  let  him  produce 
his  witness ;  and  I  call  upon  Major  Ceely  to  come  down  from 
the  bench.  It  is  not  fit  that  the  accuser  should  sit  as  judge, 
over  the  accused." 

MAJOR  CEELY.     "  Captain  Bradden  is  my  witness." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Speak,  Captain  Bradden,  didst  thou  see 
me  give  him  such  a  blow  ?" 

The  captain  was  silent,  but  bowed  his  head. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Nay,  speak  up  and  let  the  court  and 
country  hear,  let  not  bowing  of  the  head  serve  thy  turn.  If 
I  have  done  so,  let  the  law  be  inflicted  on  me.  I  fear  not 
sufferings  or  death  itself,  for  I  am  an  innocent  man  concerning 
all  his  charge." 

But  the  captain  still  remained  silent.  The  judge,  finding 
the  accusations  were  groundless,  but  being  determined  to 
wreak  his  vengeance  on  the  prisoners,  fined  them  twenty 
marks  apiece  for  not  putting  off  their  hats,  and  remanded 
them  to  jail,  until  the  fine  should  be  paid. 

At  night  Captain  Bradden,  accompanied  by  seven  or  eight 
justices,  came  to  see  them.  The  visitors  were  very  civil,  and 
said  they  believed  neither  the  judge,  nor  any  in  the  court, 
gave  credit  to  the  charges  of  Major  Ceely.  The  following 
discourse  ensued. 

CAPTAIN  BRADDEN,  (to  George  Fox.)  "  Major  Ceely  had 
an  intent  to  take  away  your  life,  if  he  could  have  got  another 
witness." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Why  didst  not  thou  witness  for  me,  or 
against  me,  seeing  Major  Ceely  produced  thee  for  a  witness, 
that  thou  sawest  me  strike  him?" 


MISERIES   OF   THE   PUBLIC   PRISONS.  159 

CAPTAIN  BRADDEN.  "Why,  when  Major  Ceely  and  I 
can^e  by  you,  as  you  were  walking  in  the  castle  green,  he  put 
off  his  hat  to  you,  and  said,  '  How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Fox  ?' 
Then  you  said  to  him,  '  Major  Ceely,  take  heed  of  hypocrisy 
and  of  a  rotten  heart,  for  when  came  I  to  he  thy  master,  and 
thou,  my  servant?  Do  servants  use  to  cast  their  masters 
into  prison  ?'  This  was  the  great  hlow  he  meant  that  you 
gave  him." 

The  report  of  their  trial  having  spread  abroad,  many,  who 
admired  their  fearless  deportment  and  blameless  characters, 
were  induced  to  visit  them  in  prison,  which  afforded  an  oppor- 
tunity to  promulgate  their  doctrines  more  extensively. 


CHAPTER  XL 

State  Prisons — George  Fox  in  Doomsdale — He  is  released — Goes  to 
Exeter,  and  meets  with  J.  Nayler — Delusion  of  Nayler — His  trial 
and  punishment — His  restoration  and  death — His  dying  expres- 
sions— George  Fox  attends  meetings  at  Bristol  in  an  orchard — Ke- 
turns  to  London — Has  two  interviews  with  Cromwell — Travels  in 
most  parts  of  the  nation — Great  numbers  of  Friends  in  prison — 
George  Fox's  letters  to  Friends — General  meetings  of  Friends. 

1656. 

So  great  has  been  the  improvement  in  the  construction  and 
discipline  of  prisons,  since  the  middle  of  the  17th  century, 
that  we  can  with  difficulty  realize  the  sufferings  then  endured 
by  those  faithful  servants  of  Christ,  who,  immured  in  the 
noisome  jails  of  England,  were  often  the  victims  of  intoler- 
ance. The  persecution  of  the  Friends,  however,  has  been 
made  instrumental,  by  an  overruling  Providence,  to  prepare 
the  way  for  a  more  humane  treatment  of  prisoners.  Being 
thus  made  acquainted  with  the  horrors  of  those  pestilential 
abodes,  their  sympathies  were  excited  for  the  criminals  con- 
fined in  them ;  and  they  were  led  by  a  sense  of  religious  duty 


160  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

to  become  pioneers  in  the  work  of  prison  reform,  which  has 
since  extended  its  influence  throughout  the  civilized  world.* 

George  Fox  and  his  companions,  on  being  remanded  to 
Lanceston  jail,  with  no  prospect  of  a  speedy  release,  sent 
their  horses  into  the  country,  and  determined  no  longer  to 
pay  the  jailor  for  their  board.  Upon  this,  he  became  very 
abusive,  and  thrust  them  into  a  dungeon  called  Doomsdale, 
where  criminals  were  usually  kept  after  sentence,  to  await 
their  execution.  This  was  a  horribly  filthy  place ;  so  noisome 
that  few  who  went  into  it  ever  came  out  in  health.  Here, 
being  without  beds,  or  even  straw  to  lie  on — standing  in  mire 
and  filth  to  the  top  of  their  shoes,  and  prevented  by  the  jailor 
from  cleansing  their  cell, — we  may  readily  conceive  that  their 
patience  was  sorely  tried. 

The  head  jailor  was  a  thief,  and  had  been  burnt  in  the 
hand.  His  wife,  too,  as  also  the  under  jailor  and  his  wife, 
had  been  branded  in  the  same  manner.  The  jail  belonged  to 
Colonel  Bennet,  a  Baptist  preacher,  who  had  purchased  it 
with  the  lands  belonging  to  the  castle,  and  had  placed  this 
head  jailor  there.  Some  of  the  prisoners  were  talking  of  the 
spirits  that  haunted  Doomsdale,  and  of  the  numbers  who  had 
died  in  it.  George  Fox  told  them,  "If  all  the  spirits  and 
devils  in  hell  were  there,  he  was  over  them  in  the  power  of 
God,  and  feared  no  such  things ;  for  Christ,  our  priest,  would 
sanctify  the  walls  of  the  house  to  us;  he  who  bruised  the 
head  of  the  devil." 

When  the  general  quarter  sessions  was  come,  they  drew  up 
an  account  of  their  suffering  condition,  and  sent  it  to  the 
court.  The  justices  gave  order  "  that  Doomsdale  door  should 
be  opened,  and  that  they  should  have  liberty  to  cleanse  it, 
and  buy  their  meat  in  the  town."  The  imprisoned  Friends 
also  sent  an  account  of  their  cruel  treatment  to  the  Protector, 
who  ordered  Captain  Fox,  the  governor  of  Pendennis  castle, 
to  inquire  into  it,  and  they  were  soon  after  removed  from 
Doomsdale  to  another  chamber.  Hugh  Peters,  one  of  Crom- 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Testimonies. 


PEKSECUTION   AGAINST   FRIENDS.  161 

well's  chaplains,  told  him,  "  They  could  not  do  George  Fox  a 
greater  service  for  the  spreading  of  his  principles  in  Cornwall, 
than  to  imprison  him  there."  This  proved  to  be  the  case,  for 
many  came  to  visit  him  and  his  companions ;  and  at  length, 
they  had  liberty  to  walk  in  the  castle  green,  where  large  com- 
panies gathered  on  First-days,  to  whom  they  preached  the 
gospel  with  freedom  and  success. 

In  Cornwall,  Devonshire,  Dorsetshire,  and  Somersetshire, 
so  many  persons  embraced  the  principles  of  Friends,  that  the 
priests  and  their  adherents  became  exasperated,  and  instigated 
the  magistrates  to  greater  severity.  They  set  watchers  in  the 
streets  and  highways,  under  pretence  of  taking  up  suspicious 
persons,  but  in  reality  to  arrest  the  Friends  who  came  to  visit 
their  imprisoned  brethren.  Some  they  robbed  and  detained 
from  their  homes,  others  they  whipped  or  cast  into  prison ; 
even  respectable  women  were  searched  and  treated  with  indig- 
nity. George  Fox  thus  relates  the  method  he  took  to  admin- 
ister a  rebuke  to  one  of  his  persecutors :  "  A  young  man 
coming  to  see  us,  I  drew  up  all  the  gross,  inhuman,  and  un- 
christian actions  of  the  mayor,  gave  it  him,  and  bade  him  seal 
it  up,  and  go  out  again  the  back  way ;  and  then  come  into 
the  town  through  the  gates.  He  did  so,  and  the  watch  took 
him  up,  and  carried  him  before  the  mayor,  who  presently 
searched  his  pockets  and  found  the  letter ;  wherein  he  saw  all 
his  actions  characterized;  which  shamed  him  so,  that  from 
that  time  he  meddled  little  with  the  Lord's  servants."  He  also 
addressed  a  letter  of  "  exhortation  and  warning  to  the  magis- 
trates," showing  that,  although  they  pretended  to  advance 
liberty  of  conscience,  they  were  in  reality  the  worst  of  perse- 
cutors. 

During  the  spring  or  summer  of  1656,  he  makes  the  fol- 
lowing record  in  his  Journal :  "  While  I  was  in  prison  here, 
the  Baptists  and  Fifth-monarchy  men  prophesied,  '  That  this 
year,  Christ  should  come,  and  reign  on  earth  a  thousand 
years.'  And  they  looked  upon  this  reign  to  be  outward : 
when  he  was  come  inwardly  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  to 
11 


162  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

reign  and  rule ;  where  these  professors  would  not  receive  him. 
So  they  failed  in  their  prophecy  and  expectation,  and  had  not 
the  possession  of  him.  But  Christ  is  come,  and  doth  dwell  and 
reign  in  the  hearts  of  his  people.  Thousands  at  the  door  of 
whose  hearts  he  hath  been  knocking,  have  opened  to  him ; 
and  he  is  come  in,  and  doth  sup  with  them,  and  they  with 
him ;  the  heavenly  supper  with  the  heavenly  and  spiritual 
man.  So  many  of  these  Baptists  and  monarchy  people  turned 
the  greatest  enemies  to  the  followers  of  Christ ;  but  he  reigns  in 
the  hearts  of  his  saints  over  all  their  envy." 

About  this  time,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  Friends  in  the 
gospel  ministry,  exhorting  them  to  faithfulness  in  their  high 
calling.  "  The  ministers  of  the  spirit,"  he  says,  "  must  min- 
ister to  the  spirit  that  is  in  prison,  which  hath  been  in  capti- 
vity in  every  one ;  that  with  the  spirit  of  Christ,  people  may 
be  led  out  of  captivity  up  to  God,  the  Father  of  spirits,  to 
serve  him,  and  have  unity  with  him,  with  the  scriptures,  and 
one  with  another.  This  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  you  all,  a 
charge  to  you  all  in  the  presence  of  the  living  God :  Be  pat- 
terns, be  examples  in  all  countries,  places,  islands,  nations, 
wherever  you  come,  that  your  life  and  conduct  may  preach 
among  all  sorts  of  people,  and  to  them." 

"While  he  was  in  prison,  a  Friend  went  to  Cromwell  and 
offered  himself,  body  for  body,  to  lie  in  Doomsdale  in  his 
stead.  The  Protector  did  not  accept  the  offer,  for  he  said, 
"  It  was  contrary  to  law ;"  but  it  made  a  deep  impression  on 
him,  and  turning  to  the  members  of  his  council,  he  inquired, 
"  Which  of  you  would  do  so  much  for  me,  if  I  were  in  the 
same  condition  ?"  Sometime  afterward,  he  sent  down  Major 
General  Desborough  to  set  George  Fox  and  his  companions 
at  liberty,  on  certain  conditions.  When  he  came,  he  offered 
to  release  them,  "  If  they  would  promise  to  go  home  and 
preach  no  more."  This  they  declined.  He  then  urged  that 
they  should  promise,  "  To  go  home  if  the  Lord  permitted." 
But  they  were  unwilling  to  come  under  any  engagement  that 
would,  in  the  least  degree,  compromit  their  religious  liberty. 


HE   IS   LIBERATED   FROM   PRISON.  163 

They  wrote  him  two  letters  assigning  their  reasons,  and  he 
left  the  matter  in  charge  of  Colonel  Bennet  who  had  command 
of  the  jail.  He  offered  them  then  their  liberty,  if  they  would 
pay  the  jailor's  fees;  but  they  answered,  "We  can  give  the 
jailor  no  fees,  for  we  are  innocent  sufferers.  How  can  you 
expect  fees  of  us,  who  have  suffered  so  long  wrongfully?" 

At  length,  they  were  released,  unconditionally,  on  the  13th 
of  the  seventh  month,  (September,  0.  S.)  1656,  after  they 
had  been  eight  months  in  prison.  The  jailor,  who  had  treated 
them  so  cruelly,  was,  the  next  year,  turned  out  of  his  place, 
and  for  some  act  of  wickedness  was  cast  into  jail  himself, 
where  he  asked  alms  of  the  Friends.  Being  unruly  in  prison, 
he  was,  by  his  successor,  put  into  Doomsdale,  locked  in  irons, 
and  told  "  To  remember  how  he  had  abused  those  good  men, 
whom  he  had  wickedly,  without  cause,  cast  into  that  noisome 
prison." 

On  being  released  from  Lanceston  jail,  George  Fox  and  his 
companions  resumed  their  travels,  and  their  labours  in  the 
gospel  ministry.  They  first  went  to  Humphrey  Lower's,  who 
had  visited  them  in  prison,  and  had  embraced  their  principles. 
He  received  them  with  joy,  and  they  had  a  precious  meeting 
in  his  house,  where  "  many  were  convinced  and  turned  by  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord,"  to  his  own  inward  teaching.  After  hold- 
ing several  good  meetings  (one  of  which,  being  unusually 
large,  was  held  in  an  orchard),  they  returned  to  Lanceston,  to 
visit  the  Friends'  meeting  which  had  been  gathered  in  that 
place  during  their  imprisonment. 

Leaving  this  little  company  well  "established  on  Christ, 
their  rock  and  foundation,"  they  proceeded  on  their  way,  and 
came  to  Exeter,  where  many  Friends  were  in  prison,  one  of 
whom  was  James  Nayler.  He  had  been  an  eminent  instru- 
ment in  the  Lord's  hand,  to  preach  the  word  of  life,  and 
gather  many  to  his  spiritual  worship ;  but,  through  unwatch- 
fulness,  and  listening  to  the  siren  voice  of  flattery,  he  had 
become  exalted  in  imagination,  and  was  now  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  mournful  delusion.  His  condition  being  imme- 


164  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

diately  perceived  by  George  Fox,  when  he  visited  the  prisoners 
at  Exeter,  was  cause  of  much  solicitude,  and  he  twice 
admonished  him  of  his  danger.  James  Nayler  slighted  his 
counsel,  but  would  have  come  and  kissed  him,  which  he 
refused,  saying,  "  Since  thou  hast  turned  against  the  power 
of  God,  I  cannot  receive  thy  show  of  kindness." 

During  Nayler's  imprisonment  at  Exeter,  three  silly  and 
deluded  women,  who  had  become  his  worshippers,  knelt  down 
before  him  and  kissed  his  feet.  After  his  liberation  from 
prison,  he  rode  through  the  suburbs  of  Bristol,  accompanied 
by  the  same  women,  and  by  a  man  equally  infatuated.  The 
latter  went  before  him  bare-headed,  one  of  the  women  led  his 
horse,  and  the  others  spread  their  scarfs  and  handkerchiefs 
before  him,  while  they  cried,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord 
God  of  Hosts,  hosannah  in  the  highest  !"*  When  they 
arrived  in  the  city,  they  were  examined  by  the  magistrates, 
and  committed  to  prison.  The  following  letter  was  found  in 
possession  of  James  Nayler  when  he  was  examined :  viz. 

George  Fox  to  James  Nayler. 

"James,  thou  must  bear  thy  own  burden,  and  thy  com- 
pany's with  thee ;  whose  iniquity  doth  increase,  and  by  thee 
is  not  cried  against.  Thou  hast  satisfied  the  world,  yea,  their 
desires  which  they  looked  for.  Thou  and  thy  disciples,  and 
the  world,  are  joined  against  the  truth,  it  is  manifest  through 
your  wilfulnees  and  stubbornness ;  and  this  is  the  word  of  the 
Lord  God  to  thee.  Many  did  not  expect  that  thou  wouldst 
have  been  an  encourager  of  such  as  do  cry  against  the  power 
and  life  of  truth,  but  wouldst  have  been  a  nourisher  of  truth, 
and  not  have  trained  up  a  company  against  it.  And  what  is 
that  which  doth  fulfil  the  world's  prophecy,  and  their  desires? 
Therefore  consider,  and  search  thyself,  if  this  be  innocency. 
The  light  of  God  in  you  all  I  own,  but  this  I  judge. 

GEORGE  Fox."f 

*  Sewel's  Hist. 

t  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  No.  XVIII. 


CKUEL  TREATMENT  OF  JAMES  NAYLER.       165 

James  Nayler,  being  accused  of  blasphemy,  was  carried  to 
London  to  be  examined  by  the  Parliament,  and  thus  he 
became  an  object  of  general  notoriety  and  animadversion. 
After  a  tedious  examination  before  a  committee  of  Parliament, 
although  there  was  no  proof  of  the  crime  alleged,  he  was 
sentenced  to  stand  two  hours  in  the  pillory  at  Westminster, 
to  be  whipped  through  the  streets  of  London,  from  "Westmin- 
ster to  the  old  Exchange,  to  be  there  set  in  the  pillory  two 
hours  more,  to  have  his  tongue  bored  through  with  a  hot  iron, 
and  his  forehead  branded  with  the  letter  B.  Then  to  be 
taken  to  Bristol,  carried  through  the  streets  on  horseback, 
with  his  face  backward,  whipped  again,  and  then  committed 
to  Bridewell  prison,  London,  placed  at  hard  labour,  and 
secluded  from  all  society,  until  released  by  Parliament. 

That  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  should  have  spent 
twelve  days  in  examining  such  a  case  of  mental  delusion, 
indicates  a  state  of  morbid  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  mem- 
bers ;  but  that  it  should  have  passed  a  sentence  so  cruel  and 
vindictive,  shows  that,  with  all  their  professions  of  sanctity, 
they  were  strangers  to  the  benign  spirit  of  the  gospel.  It  has 
been  justly  remarked  by  the  editor  of  Neal's  History  of  the 
Puritans,  "  That  Nayler  should  have  been  assigned  over  to  a 
physician  for  the  cure  of  his  madness,  and  not  to  the  execu- 
tioner of  public  justice,  to  be  punished."  The  Society  of 
Friends  had,  from  the  first  of  Nayler's  aberrations,  endea- 
voured to  reclaim  him,  and  being  unsuccessful  in  this,  they 
publicly  declared  their  disunity  with  him.  There  were,  how- 
ever, a  few  Friends  who  adhered  to  him,  and  probably  all 
sympathized  with  him  in  his  sufferings.  A  large  number  of 
respectable  citizens  of  London,  of  different  religious  persua- 
sions, thinking  the  severity  of  his  sentence  entirely  dispropor- 
tioned  to  the  grade  of  his  offence,  petitioned  Parliament  on 
his  behalf,  but  without  success.  > 

Early  in  the  winter  of  1656,  a  part  of  the  sentence  was 
executed.  After  standing  on  the  pillory  two  hours,  he  was 
stripped,  and  whipped  at  the  cart's  tail  through  the  streets  of 


166  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

London,  until  he  received  310  stripes,  lacerating  his  back 
from  his  shoulders  to  his  waist,  which  he  bore  with  surprising 
patience.  The  remainder  of  the  sentence  being  deferred  on 
account  of  his  illness,  a  second  petition,  numerously  signed, 
praying  that  it  might  be  remitted,  was  presented  at  the  bar 
of  the  House  by  about  a  hundred  persons.  This  application 
proving  ineffectual,  they  appealed  to  Cromwell  himself,  to 
arrest  the  further  execution  of  the  sentence,  which  he  seemed 
inclined  to  do ;  but  it  was  thought  the  preachers  who  sur- 
rounded him  used  their  influence  to  prevent  it.* 

After  waiting  nine  days  for  him  to  regain  his  strength,  the 
remainder  of  the  sentence  was  executed,  and  so  great  was  the 
sympathy  felt  for  him,  that  during  the  boring  of  his  tongue 
and  the  branding  of  his  forehead,  the  thousands  of  spectators, 
with  one  consent,  uncovered  their  heads,  and  looked  on  in 
silent  commiseration.  He  endured  his  sufferings  with  great 
patience,  but  his  mind  continued  for  some  time  partially 
clouded.  He  was  detained  two  years  in  Bridewell,  during 
which  time  he  was  brought  to  a  sense  of  his  errors,  and  became 
truly  penitent.  After  his  release,  he  went  to  Bristol,  where, 
in  a  public  meeting,  he  made  confession  of  his  offence,  and 
spoke  so  feelingly  as  to  bring  the  whole  audience  to  tears. 
He  also  wrote  and  published  several  papers  of  condemnation 
for  his  past  errors,  and  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  his  re- 
covery. 

The  Society  of  Friends,  believing  that  his  repentance  was 
sincere,  and  that  he  was  indeed  restored  to  favour  and  com- 
munion with  God,  could  do  no  less  than  receive  him  again  as 
a  member  of  their  body. 

He  lived  only  about  two  years  after  his  restoration,  during 
which  he  walked  in  great  humility  and  circumspection,  and 
ended  his  course  in  peace,  in  the  autumn  of  1660,  in  the  44th 
year  of  his  age.  About  two  hours  before  his  death,  he  spoke 
to  several  Friends  who  were  attending  him,  in  the  following 
beautiful  and  pathetic  language  : 

*  Sewel's  Hist.,  I.  182. 


JAMES  NAYLER'S  DISCOURSE  BEFORE  DEATH.        167 

"  There  is  a  spirit  which  I  feel,  that  delights  to  do  no  evil, 
nor  to  revenge  any  wrong,  but  delights  to  endure  all  things, 
in  hope  to  enjoy  its  own  in  the  end :  Its  hope  is  to  outlive  all 
wrath  and  contention,  and  to  weary  out  all  exaltation  and 
cruelty,  or  whatever  is  of  a  nature  contrary  to  itself.  It  sees 
to  the  end  of  all  temptations :  as  it  bears  no  evil  in  itself,  so 
it  conceives  none  in  thoughts  to  any  other :  If  it  be  betrayed 
it  bears  it ;  for  its  ground  and  spring  are  the  mercies  and  for- 
giveness of  God.  Its  crown  is  meekness,  its  life  is  everlast- 
ing love  unfeigned,  and  it  takes  its  kingdom  with  entreaty, 
and  not  with  contention,  and  keeps  it  by  lowliness  of  mind. 
In  God  alone  it  can  rejoice,  though  none  else  regard  it  or  own 
its  life.  It  is  conceived  in  sorrow,  and  brought  forth  without 
any  to  pity  it ;  nor  doth  it  murmer  at  grief  and  oppression. 
It  never  rejoiceth  but  through  sufferings ;  for  with  the  world's 
joy  it  is  murdered.  I  found  it  alone  being  forsaken ;  I  have 
fellowship  therein,  with  them  who  lived  in  dens,  and  desolate 
places  in  the  earth,  who  through  death  obtained  this  resurrec- 
tion and  eternal  holy  life."* 

From  various  historical  accounts  and  anecdotes  that  have  come 
down  to  us,  it  appears  that  he  was  endowed  with  most  extra- 
ordinary powers,  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  with  a  deep 
insight  into  the  mysteries  of  the  heavenly  kingdom.  His 
temptations  and  his  fall  should  be  a  warning  to  all  who  are 
similarly  circumstanced,  not  to  give  ear  to  the  delusive  voice 
of  adulation,  nor  to  relax  or  grow  weary,  in  the  solemn  duty 
of  "  watching  unto  prayer."  His  repentance  and  restoration 
to  peace  of  mind  and  unity  with  his  friends,  are  no  less  in- 
structive to  us,  as  incentives  to  labour  for  the  return  of  the 
lost  sheep,  who  have  wandered  from  the  fold,  for  there  is  more 
joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  than  pver  ninety 
and  nine  just  persons  which  need  no  repentance." 

George  Fox,  after  leaving  Exeter,  visited  the  meetings  of 
Friends  until  he  came  to  Bristol.  On  First-day  morning,  he 
attended  their  meeting,  which  was  large  and  quiet.  In  the 

J.  Nayler's  Works,  668,  and  Sewel's  Hist.  202-3. 


168  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

afternoon,  he  held  a  meeting  near  the  city,  in  an  orchard 
which  was  often  used  for  that  purpose.  On  this  occasion, 
some  thousands  were  in  attendance.  On  his  way  to  the 
orchard,  he  was  told  that  Paul  Gwin,  a  noisy  disputant,  who 
often  disturbed  their  meetings,  would  be  there  with  his  rude 
company.  He  replied,  "  Never  heed ;  it  is  nothing  to  me  who 
goes  to  it."  On  reaching  the  meeting,  he  mounted  upon  a 
stone  from  which  Friends  usually  addressed  the  audience,  and, 
putting  off  his  hat,  he  stood  for  some  time  in  silence.  Gwin 
attempted  to  make  a  disturbance,  and  after  objecting  to  the 
long  hair  of  George  Fox,  he  exclaimed,  "Ye  wise  men  of 
Bristol,  I  strange  that  you  will  stand  here,  and  hear  a  man 
speak  and  affirm  that  which  he  cannot  make  good."  George 
Fox  said  to  the  people,  "  Did  you  ever  see  me,  or  hear  me 
speak  before  ?  Take  notice,  what  kind  of  a  man  is  this,  who 
so  impudently  asserts  that  I  spoke  and  affirmed  that  which  I 
could  not  make  good ;  and  yet  neither  he  nor  you  ever  heard 
or  saw  me  before.  Therefore,  that  is  a  lying,  envious,  mali- 
cious spirit  which  speaks  in  him ;  it  is  of  the  devil,  and  not 
of  God."  He  then  commanded  Gwin  to  be  still,  which  he 
obeyed,  and  an  opportunity  was  afforded  to  preach  the  gospel 
with  authority  and  remarkable  success.  "  For  many  hours  he 
declared  the  word  of  life,  opening  to  them  the  types,  figures, 
and  shadows  of  Christ,  in  the  time  of  the  law,  and  showing 
that  Christ  was  come,  and  had  ended  the  types,  shadows, 
tithes,  and  oaths,  and  put  down  swearing,  and  had  set  yea 
and  nay  instead  of  it,  and  a  free  ministry ;  for  he  was  now 
come  to  teach  his  people  himself,  and  his  heavenly  day  was 
springing  from  on  high."  He  adds,  "  The  meeting  broke  up 
quietly,  and  the  Lord's  power  and  glory  shined  over  all ;  a 
blessed  day  it  was,  and  the  Lord  had  the  praise." 

In  this  instance,  and  many  others,  it  is  remarkable  how 
the  authority  with  which  he  was  clothed  by  his  divine  master, 
enabled  him  to  subdue  the  turbulent  spirits  of  those  who 
disturbed  the  meetings  of  Friends.  No  sooner  did  he  begin 
to  speak,  than  the  tumultuous  waves  of  passion  subsided,  and 


INTERVIEW  WITH   CROMWELL.  169 

thousands  stood  as  silent  listeners  to  his  persuasive  and 
powerful  ministry. 

Leaving  Bristol,  he  passed  on  his  way,  holding  large  meet- 
ings, until  he  came  to  London.  On  entering  the  city,  he  saw 
a  concourse  of  people  near  Hyde  Park,  and  approaching  it, 
he  espied  the  Protector  coming  in  his  coach.  He  rode  up  to 
the  coach-side,  which  the  guards  would  have  prevented,  but 
Cromwell,  seeing  him,  encouraged  his  approach.  He  then, 
being  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty,  spoke  to  the  Protector 
concerning  his  condition,  and  laid  before  him  the  sufferings 
of  Friends,  showing  him  "  how  contrary  this  persecution  was 
to  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  to  Christianity."  Cromwell, 
at  parting,  desired  him  to  come  to  his  house,  and,  on  reaching 
the  palace,  said  to  one  of  his  wife's  maids,  whose  name  was 
Mary  Saunders,  "That  he  could  tell  her  good  news."  She 
asked  what  it  was.  He  answered,  "  George  Fox  is  come  to 
town."  She  being  a  Friend,  replied,  "That  is  good  news, 
indeed." 

Accompanied  by  Edward  Pyot,  George  Fox  soon  after  went 
to  Whitehall,  where  they  had  an  interview  with  the  Protector, 
who  had  with  him  Doctor  Owen,  Vice-Chancellor  of  Oxford. 
"We  were  moved,"  he  writes  in  his  Journal,  "to  speak  to 
Oliver  Cromwell  concerning  the  sufferings  of  Friends,  and 
laid  them  before  him :  and  directed  him  to  the  light  of  Christ, 
who  had  enlightened  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world. 
He  said  it  was  a  natural  light ;  but  we  showed  him  the  con- 
trary ;  and  manifested  that  it  was  divine  and  spiritual,  pro- 
ceeding from  Christ,  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  man;  and 
that  which  was  called  the  life  in  Christ  the  Word,  was  called 
the  light  in  us.  The  power  of  the  Lord  God  rose  in  me,*and 
I  was  moved  in  it  to  bid  him  lay  down  his  crown  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus.  Several  times  I  spoke  to  him  to  the  same  effect.  I 
was  standing  by  the  table,  and  he  came  and  sat  upon  the 
table's  side  by  me,  saying,  '  He  would  be  as  high  as  I  was ;' 
and  so  continued  speaking  against  the  light  of  Christ  Jesus ; 
and  went  his  way  in  a  light  manner.'  But  the  Lord's  power 


170  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

came  over  him,  so  that  when  he  came  to  his  wife,  and  other 
company,  he  said,  '  I  never  parted  so  from  them  before ;'  for 
he  was  judged  in  himself;" 

On  leaving  the  Protector,  they  found  themselves  in  company 
with  many  officers,  and  other  persons  of  distinction.  One  of 
these  began  to  speak  against  the  doctrine  of  "  The  Light  of 
Christ,"  whereupon  George  Fox  felt  bound,  "To  slight  him 
for  speaking  so  lightly  of  the  things  of  God."  A  bystander 
remarked  to  him,  that  he  was  speaking  to  the  Major- General 
of  Northamptonshire.  "What!"  said  George,  "our  old  per- 
secutor, that  has  persecuted  and  sent  so  many  of  our  Friends 
to  prison,  and  is  a  shame  to  Christianity  and  religion  ?  I  am 
glad  I  have  met  with  thee  !"  He  then  went  on  to  reprove 
him  sharply,  for  his  unchristian  conduct.  The  General,  being 
conscious  that  the  reproof  was  just,  withdrew  without  resent- 
ing it.  This  undaunted  boldness,  was  a  remarkable  trait  in 
the  character  of  Fox,  who  did  not  fear  the  face  of  man,  when 
he  believed  himself  called  to  rebuke  "  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places." 

After  attending  the  meetings  of  Friends,  in  and  around 
London,  he  resumed  his  travels  in  the  country,  and  during  the 
year  1656,  visited  most  parts  of  the  nation.  His  doctrines 
were  now  widely  spread,  and  being  misrepresented  by  the 
clergy  and  their  adherents,  he  found  it  his  duty  to  answer 
their  objections,  both  in  his  public  ministry,  and  by  means  of 
the  press.  "  For  they  applied  to  the  Friends,  what  Christ 
has  said  of  false  prophets  and  anti-christs  coming  in  the  last 
days."  .  .  "  Therefore,"  he  says,  "  I  was  moved  to  open 
this  through  the  nation,  and  to  show,  that  they  who  said  we 
wer*e  the  false  prophets,  anti-christs  and  deceivers  that  should 
come  in  the  last  days,  were  indeed  themselves  they.  For 
when  Christ  told  his  disciples,  that  false  prophets  and  anti- 
christs should  come  in  the  last  times,  and  if  possible  should 
deceive  the  very  elect,  he  said,  '  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them ;'  for  they  should  be  inwardly  ravening  wolves,  having 
the  sheep's  clothing."  .  .'  .  .  '•  These  have  gotten  the  dragon's 


EPISTLE   TO   FRIENDS.  171 

power ;  the  murdering,  destroying,  persecuting  power ;  And 
these  are  they  that  the  world  wonders  after !  These  have 
drunk  the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  prophets  and  saints,  and 
persecuted  the  true  church  into  the  wilderness  !  These  have 
set  up  the  false,^  compelling  worships,  and  have  drunk  the 
blood  of  the  saints,  that  will  not  drink  of  their  cup  !" 

In  his  Journal  he  says,  "  In  this  year,  (1656,)  the  truth  was 
finely  planted  over  the  nation,  and  many  thousands  were 
turned  to  the  Lord ;  insomuch  that  there  were  seldom  fewer 
than  one  thousand  in  prison  in  this  nation,  for  truth's  testi- 
mony, some  for  tithes,  some  for  going  to  steeple-houses,  some 
for  contempts  as  they  were  called,  some  for  not  swearing,  and 
others  for  not  putting  off  their  hats,"  &c.  In  order  to  en- 
courage his  friends  to  keep  up  their  meetings,  he  wrote  to 
them  as  follows : 

"  DEAR  FRIENDS  : — Keep  all  your  meetings  in  the  power 
of  the  Lord,  which  is  over  all  that  which  is  in  the  fall,  and 
must  have  an  end.  *  *  *  *  For  the  gospel  being  the 
power  of  God,  is  pure  and  everlasting.  Know  it  to  be  your 
portion ;  in  which  is  stability,  life,  and  immortality,  shining 
over  that  which  darkens  the  mortal.  So  be  faithful  every  one 
to  God  in  your  measures  of  his  power  and  life,  that  ye  may 
answer  God's  love  and  mercy  to  you,  as  obedient  children  of 
the  Most  High ;  dwelling  in  love,  unity,  peace,  and  innocency 
of  heart  towards  one  another,  that  God  may  be  glorified  in 
you,  and  you  kept  faithful  witnesses  for  him,  and  valiant  for 
the  truth  in  the  earth.  God  Almighty  preserve  you  all  to  his 
glory,  that  you  may  feel  his  blessing  among  you,  and  that  you 
may  be  possessors  thereof. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

In  the  meetings  of  Friends,  at  this  time,  many  who  were 
young  in  religious  experience  sometimes  felt  constrained  to 
utter  a  few  words  in  thanksgiving  and  praises  to  God;  and 
George  Fox,  feeling  sympathy  with  them,  as  well  as  desirous 
that  no  disturbance  might  thence  arise  in  their  solemn  assem- 
blies, addressed  to  the  society  a  letter  of  advice,  which  is 


172  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

characteristic  of  his  wisdom  and  paternal  care.*  He  says : 
"  All  my  dear  friends  in  the  noble  seed  of  God,  who  have 
known  his  power,  life,  and  presence  among  you,  let  it  be  your 
joy  to  hear  or  see  the  springs  of  life  break  forth  in  any ; 
through  which  ye  have  all  unity  in  the  same  feeling,  life,  and 
power.  And  above  all  things,  take  heed  of  judging  any 
openly  in  your  meetings,  except  they  be  openly  profane  or 
rebellious."  *  *  *  *  "  And,  friends,  though  ye  may 
have  been  convinced,  and  have  tasted  of  the  power,  and  felt 
the  light,  yet  afterwards  ye  may  feel  a  winter  storm,  tempest, 
and  hail,  frost  and  cold,  and  temptation  in  the  wilderness. 
Be  patient  and  still  in  the  power  and  in  the  light  that  doth 
convince  you,  to  keep  your  minds  to  God ;  in  that  be  quiet, 
that  ye  may  come  to  the  summer ;  that  your  flight  be  not  in 
the  winter.  For  if  ye  sit  still  in  the  patience  which  over- 
comes in  the  power  of  God,  there  will  be  no  flying.  The 
husbandman,  after  he  hath  sown  his  seed,  is  patient.  And  ye, 
by  the  power  being  kept  in  the  patience,  will  come  by  the  light 
to  see  through  and  feel  over  winter  storms  and  tempests,  and 
all  the  coldness,  barrenness,  and  emptiness;  and  the  same 
light  and  power  will  go  over  the  tempter's  head ;  which  power 
and  light  was  before  he  was.  So,  in  the  light  standing  still, 
ye  will  see  your  salvation,  ye  will  see  the  Lord's  strength, 
ye  will  see  the  small  rain,  ye  will  feel  the  fresh  springs,  your 
minds  being  kept  low  in  the  power  and  light :  for  that  which 
is  out  of  the  power  lifts  up.  But  in  the  power  and  light  ye 
will  feel  God,  revealing  his  secrets,  inspiring  your  minds,  and 
his  gifts  coming  in  unto  you ;  through  which  your  hearts  will 
be  filled  with  God's  love,  and  praises  to  him  that  lives  for  ever- 
more ;  for  in  his  light  and  power  his  blessing  is  received.  So 
in  that,  the  eternal  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  preserve 
and  keep  you  !  Live  every  one  in  the  power  of  God,  that  ye 
may  all  come  to  be  heirs  of  that,  and  know  that  to  be  your 
portion  ;  even  the  kingdom  that  hath  no  end,  and  the  endless 

*See  Dissertation  on  Discipline — Meetings  for  worship. 


GENERAL   MEETINGS.  173 

life  which  the  seed  is  heir  of.     Feel  that  set  over  all,  which 
hath  the  promise  and  blessing  of  God  forever. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

In  this  year  were  held  three  general  meetings  of  Friends, 
for  worship  and  conference,  being  the  earliest  meetings  of  this 
kind,  of  which  we  have  any  record.  One  was  at  Ringwood, 
in  Hampshire,  which  George  Fox  says  was  largely  attended, 
and  favoured  with  the  evidence  of  the  Lord's  power.  Another 
was  at  Balby,  in  Yorkshire,  from  which  a  number  of  advices 
were  issued,  addressed  "To  the  brethren  in  the  north." 
This  document  refers  to  most  of  the  points  which  now  form 
the  chief  subjects  of  Friends'  discipline.*  A  third  of  the  same 
kind  was  held  at  Exeter,  in  Devonshire,  which  is  mentioned 
by  George  Fox,  as  a  blessed,  heavenly  meeting. 

During  this  year  he  addressed  many  epistles  to  Friends,  in 
which  he  exhorted  them  to  faithfulness  in  all  their  duties,  in- 
structed them  how  to  conduct  their  religious  meetings,  encou- 
raged them  to  be  patient  under  their  sufferings,  and  especially 
enjoined  upon  them  all,  "  To  dwell  in  the  everlasting  seed  of 
God,"  the  manifestation  of  divine  life  and  power  in  the  soul.f 

*  London  Book  of  Extracts. 

f  George  Fox's  Works,  VII.  114  to  132. 


174  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Visit  to  Wales  —  Meets  with  John  Ap-John,  and  Thomas  Holmes  — 
Tumult  at  Brecknock  —  Meetings  in  Wales  —  Returns  to  Chester  — 
Cromwell's  proclamation  for  a  fast — George  Fox  again  in  Wales  — 
Great  meetings  and  remarkable  sermon  —  Controversy  with  a  priest 
— Dispute  with  a  governor — John  Ap-John  imprisoned  and  released 
—Vision  of  George  Fox — Return  to  Liverpool  — To  Manchester — To 
Swarthmore — Attends  a  General  Meeting  —  Large  meeting  at  Lang- 
lands — J.  Wilkinson  convinced — Epistle  to  Friends  concerning  blacks 
and  Indian  slaves. 

1657. 

IN  the  early  part  of  this  year  George  Fox  visited  Wales, 
where  some  proselytes  to  his  doctrines  had  already  heen  made, 
through  the  ministry  of  others.  About  three  years  prior  to 
this  date,  a  clergyman  of  Wrexham,  in  Wales,  having  heard 
reports  concerning  the  Friends,  sent  two  of  his  congregation 
into  the  north  of  England,  to  inquire  into  their  principles. 
These  "triers,"  as  they  were  termed,  remained  some  time,  and 
were  so  well  satisfied  with  the  doctrines  of  Friends,  that  they 
embraced  them.  One  of  them  afterwards  relinquished  the 
profession,  but  the  other,  whose  name  was  John  Ap-John, 
continued  faithful,  and  became  a  useful  minister  of  the 
gospel. 

The  first  town  visited  by  George  Fox  in  this  journey,  was 
Cardiff,  where  a  justice  of  the  peace  sent  an  invitation  for 
"him  and  half-a-dozen  Friends  to  come  to  his  house."  He 
accordingly  went,  accompanied  by  one  or  two  of  his  friends, 
and  they  were  kindly  entertained.  The  next  day,  they  had 
a  Ineeting  in  the  Town  Hall,  to  which  the  justice  sent  seventeen 
of  his  family,  and  although  some  disturbers  were  there,  "  the 
Lord's  power  was  over  all,"  and  many  were  gathered  to  his 
name. 

At  Swansea  he  was  instrumental  in  settling  a  meeting  of 


HE  RETUKNS  TO  ENGLAND.  175 

Friends,  and  passing  on  from  thence  he  came  to  Brecknock, 
where  he  met  with  Thomas  Holmes  and  John  Ap-John.  Here 
leaving  his  company,  he  walked  forth  into  the  fields,  and  John 
Ap-John  went  into  the  streets  to  preach  to  the  people.  When 
George  Fox  returned,  he  found  the  town  "in  an  uproar,"  and 
the  inn  full  of  people,  who  were  earnestly  talking  in  Welsh. 
He  desired  them  to  speak  English,  which  they  did,  and  he  had 
much  discourse  with  them  on  religious  subjects.  Towards 
night,  the  magistrates  appeared  in  the  streets  with  a  multitude 
of  people,  whom  they  incited  to  shout ;  and  for  about  two 
hours  they  kept  up  a  continual  clamour,  which  reminded  the 
Friends  of  the  uproar  among  the  craftsmen  of  Diana  at 
Ephesus.  Next  morning  George  Fox  wrote  a  paper  addressed 
to  the  citizens,  concerning  their  unchristian  conduct,  "  show- 
ing them  the  fruits  of  their  priests  and  magistrates,"  and,  as 
he  rode  out  of  town,  he  spoke  to  the  people,  telling  them 
"  They  were  a  shame  to  Christianity  and  religion." 

At  the  next  place  they  reached,  he  was  more  favourably 
received,  and  had  a  great  meeting  in  a  public  burying  ground, 
at  which  a  priest  and  two  magistrates  were  present.  It  was  a 
peaceable,  satisfactory  opportunity,  and  many  were  convinced 
of  the  principles  of  Friends.  One  of  the  justices  said  to 
George  Fox,  "  You  have  this  day  given  great  satisfaction  to 
the  people,  and  answered  all  the  objections  that  were  in  then- 
minds." 

After  holding  a  large  and  satisfactory  meeting  at  Point-y- 
moyle,  he  returned  to  England  and  held  a  meeting  in  Che- 
shire, at  which  two  or  three  thousand  were  present,  and  where 
the  word  of  life  was  held  forth,  and  "  Friends  were  settled  by 
the  power  of  God,  upon  Jesus  Christ  the  rock  and  founda- 
tion." 

At  this  time,  there  being  a  great  drought,  Cromwell  issued 
a  proclamation  for  a  fast  throughout  the  nation,  to  pray  for 
rain.  This  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  George  Fox,  he  pub- 
lished a  paper,  "  To  show  the  distinction  betwixt  the  true  and 
the  false  fasts,"  in  which  he  maintains  "  That  the  acceptable 


176  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

fast  and  day  to  the  Lord,  is  not  for  a  man  to  bow  down  his 
head  like  a  bulrush,  and  to  spread  sackcloth  under  him,  and 
to  fast  for  strife  and  debate,"  but  it  is,  '  To  break  the  bonds 
of  iniquity,  to  deal  his  bread  to  the  hungry,  to  bring  the  poor 
that  are  cast  out  to  his  own  house,  and  when  he  sees  the 
naked  to  cover  him." 

Returning  into  Wales,  he  passed  through  Montgomeryshire 
into  Radnorshire,  where  there  was  a  meeting  "  like  a  leaguer 
for  multitudes,"  which  many  of  the  gentry  attended.  While 
the  people  were  assembling,  he  desired  John  Ap-John  to  go  to 
them,  and  "  if  he  had  any  thing  upon  him  from  the  Lord  to 
them,"  he  might  speak  in  Welsh,  and  thereby  gather  more 
together.  When  the  people  were  collected,  George  Fox  went 
into  the  meeting,  and  having  stood  upon  a  chair  for  awhile 
in  silence,  he  then  addressed  the  audience  for  nearly  three 
hours,  with  remarkable  effect.  He  says,  "  I  felt  the  power 
of  the  Lord  over  the  whole  assembly :  and  his  everlasting 
life  and  truth  shined  over  all.  The  scriptures  were  opened  to 
them,  and  the  objections  they  had  in  their  minds  answered. 
They  were  directed  to  the  light  of  Christ,  the  heavenly  man ; 
that  by  it  they  might  see  their  sins,  and  Christ  Jesus  to  be 
their  Saviour,  their  Redeemer,  their  Mediator,  and  come  to 
feed  upon  him  the  bread  of  life  from  heaven.  Many  were 
turned  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  his  free  teachings  that 
day ;  and  all  were  bowed  down  under  the  power  of  God ;  so 
that  though  the  multitude  was  so  great,  that  many  sat  on 
horseback  to  hear,  there  was  no  opposition." 

Thence  he  proceeded  to  Leominster,  in  Herefordshire, 
where  he  had  a  "  great  meeting  in  a  close,  many  hundreds  of 
people  being  gathered,"  among  whom  were  six  congregational 
preachers.  After  he  had  preached  at  considerable  length, 
and  with  great  effect,  a  Baptist  who  was  convinced  cried  out, 
"Where's  priest  Tombs?  How  chance  he  doth  not  come 
out  ?"  This  Tombs  was  an  Anabaptist  minister,  who  had  got 
possession  of  the  living  and  parsonage  at  Leominster.  He 
soon  after  made  his  appearance,  accompanied  by  the  bailiffs 


CONTROVERSY  WITH   PRIEST   TOMBS.  177 

and  other  officers  of  the  town.  George  Fox  was  speaking  of 
the  heavenly  divine  Light,  which  enlightens  every  one  that 
comes  into  the  world. 

PRIEST  TOMBS.  "That's  a  natural  light  and  a  made 
light." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Let  the  people  take  out  their  bibles. 
Now  I  ask  thee,  Priest  Tombs,  whether  that  was  a  created, 
natural,  made  light,  which  John,  a  man  sent  from  God,  bore 
witness  to,  when  he  said,  '  In  him  (to  wit. :  in  the  Word)  was 
life,  and  that  life  was  the  light  of  men?' " 

PRIEST  TOMBS.     "Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  The  natural,  created  light  is  the  outward 
light  in  the  firmament,  proceeding  from  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars.  And  dost  thou  affirm  that  God  sent  John  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  light  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars?" 

PRIEST  TOMBS.     "Did  I  say  so  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Didst  thou  not  say  it  was  a  natural,  cre- 
ated light  which  John  bore  witness  to  ?  If  thou  dost  not  like 
thy  words,  take  them  again  and  mend  them." 

PRIEST  TOMBS.  "I  said  the  light  you  spoke  of  was  a 
natural,  created  light." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Let  the  people  turn  to  the  text  in  their 
bibles,  John  i.  1. :  '  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,'  &c.  'All 
things  were  made  by  him.'  So  all  natural,  created  lights 
were  made  by  Christ  the  Word.  l  In  him  was  life,  and  the 
life  was  the  light  of  men.'  He  saith  of  himself,  'I  am  the 
light  of  the  world.'  And  God  said  of  him  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  '  I  will  also  give  thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that 
thou  mayest  be  my  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.'  So 
Christ  in  light  is  saving.  And  the  apostle  said,  '  The  light 
which  shined  in  their  hearts  was  to  give  them  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  was  their  treasure  in  their  earthen  vessels.'  " 

PRIEST  TOMBS,  (to  the  magistrates).  "Take  this  man 
away,  or  else  I  shall  not  speak  any  more." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Priest  Tombs  !  deceive  not  thyself,  thou 
12 


178  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

art  not  in  thy  pulpit  now,  nor  in  thy  old  mass-house,  but  we 
are  in  the  fields." 

At  this  juncture,  Thomas  Taylor,  who  had  been  a  clergy- 
man, but  was  now  a  minister  among  Friends,  rose  and  under- 
took to  prove  their  principle  by  Christ's  parable  of  the  sower, 
(Mat.  13.)  Then  the  priest  said,  "Let  this  man  speak,  but 
not  the  other."  Another  Friend  stood  up  and  related  how 
Tombs  had  sued  him  for  the  tithe  of  eggs.  The  priest  replied, 
"  I  have  a  wife  and  I  have  a  concubine ;  my  wife  is  the 
baptized  people,  and  my  concubine  is  the  world."  "But 
the  Lord's  power,"  says  George  Fox,  "was  over  all,  the  ever- 
lasting truth  was  declared  that  day,  and  many  were  turned  by 
it  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  their  teacher  and  way  to  God." 

Travelling  through  South  Wales,  he  came  to  Teuly,  in 
Pembrokeshire,  where,  as  he  rode  up  the  street,  a  justice  of 
the  peace  stepped  out  from  his  door  and  desired  him  to  alight 
and  stay  at  his  house,  which  he  accordingly  did.  On  First- 
day,  they  had  "a  glorious  meeting,"  which  was  attended  by 
the  mayor  and  his  wife,  with  others  of  the  most  respectable 
citizens.  John  Ap-John  left  the  meeting,  and  went  to  the 
parish  house  of  worship,  where  he  was  arrested  by  order  of 
the  governor  and  cast  into  prison. 

Next  morning,  the  governor  sent  one  of  his  officers  for 
George  Fox,  which  grieved  the  mayor  and  justice,  who  con- 
cluded to  wait  on  that  functionary  before  him.  When  George 
came  in,  the  following  dialogue  ensued : 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Why  hast  thou  cast  my  friend  into 
prison?" 

GOVERNOR.    "  For  standing  with  his  hat  on  in  the  church." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Had  not  the  priest  two  caps  on  his  head, 
a  black  one  and  a  white  one  ?  Cut  off  the  brim  of  the  hat, 
and  then  my  friend  would  have  but  one,  and  the  brim  of  the 
hat  was  but  to  defend  him  from  the  weather." 

GOVERNOR.     "  These  are  frivolous  things." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Why  then  dost  thou  cast  my  friend  into 
prison  for  such  frivolous  things?" 


JOHN  AP-JOHN   IMPRISONED.  179 

GOVERNOR.     "Do  you  own  election  and  reprobation?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "Yes,  and  thou  art  in  the  reprobation." 

GOVERNOR,  (in  an  angry  tone,)  "  I  will  send  you  to  prison 
till  you  prove  it." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  will  prove  it  quickly,  if  thou  wilt  con- 
fess truth.  Are  not  wrath,  fury,  rage,  and  persecution,  marks 
of  reprobation  ?  He  that  was  born  of  the  flesh  persecuted 
him  that  was  born  of  the  spirit,  but  Christ  and  his  disciples 
never  persecuted  any." 

GOVERNOR.  "  I  acknowledge  that  I  have  too  much  wrath, 
haste,  and  passion  in  me." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Esau  is  up  in  thee,  the  first  birth;  not 
Jacob,  the  second  birth." 

The  governor,  being  conscious  that  this  was  the  truth, 
frankly  acknowledged  it,  and,  as  George  was  going  away, 
invited  him  to  dinner,  and  set  his  friend  at  liberty.  They 
went  back  to  the  house  of  the  justice,  and  he,  with  the  mayor, 
accompanied  by  their  wives,  and  several  other  persons,  went 
with  the  Friends  to  the  water-side,  about  half  a  mile  out  of 
town.  There  George  Fox  "  knelt  down  with  them  and  prayed 
to  the  Lord  to  preserve  them."  After  commending  them  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  their  Saviour  and  free  teacher,  he  and 
his  companions  went  on  their  way,  ascribing  praises  to  the 
Most  High. 

At  Pembroke  they  had  some  religious  service,  and  at 
Haverford-West  their  labours  were  so  well  received,  that  a 
Friends'  meeting  was  established  there.  At  the  latter  place, 
a  fair  being  held,  they  went  through  it,  preaching  the  gospel 
of  Christ. 

Coming  into  another  county,  they  entered  a  great  market- 
town,  where  George  Fox  halted  at  an  inn,  and  John  Ap-John 
went  through  the  streets  preaching  to  the  people,  which  pro- 
duced so  great  an  excitement  that  he  was  arrested  and  cast 
into  prison.  Presently  several  of  the  principal  citizens  came 
to  George  Fox,  and  said,  "  They  have  cast  your  man  into 
prison."  "For  what?"  said  he.  "Because  he  preached  in 


LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

our  streets."  "What  did  he  say?"  inquired  George,  "did  he 
reprove  the  drunkards  and  swearers,  and  warn  them  to  repent 
and  leave  off  the  evil  of  their  ways,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  ? 
Who  cast  him  into  prison  ?"  They  replied,  "  The  high-sheriff, 
the  justices,  and  the  mayor."  He  asked  their  names,  and 
said,  "  Is  this  their  carriage  to  travellers  who  pass  through 
their  town,  or  to  strangers  who  admonish  them  to  fear  the 
Lord,  and  who  reprove  sin  in  their  gates  ?"  This  conversation 
being  reported  to  the  city  authorities,  they  soon  after  sent  up 
John  Ap-John,  guarded  with  halberds,  in  order  to  put  him 
out  of  the  town.  George  Fox  bade  the  officers,  "  Take  their 
hands  off  of  him."  They  said,  "  The  mayor  and  justices  had  ' 
told  them  to  put  him  out  of  town."  George  replied,  "  That 
he  would  talk  with  their  mayor  and  justices  anon,  concerning 
their  uncivil  and  unchristian  carriage  towards  him."  He  then 
told  John  to  go  and  get  their  horses  ready,  and  charged  the 
officers  not  to  touch  him.  This  resolute  bearing  caused  the 
officers  to  withdraw ;  and  the  travellers,  after  taking  some 
refreshment,  prepared  to  resume  their  journey.  Before  he 
left  the  town,  George  Fox  rode  up  to  the  inn  where  the  magis- 
trates were,  and  reproved  them  for  their  unchristian  conduct. 
That  night  they  came  to  a  little  inn,  very  poor,  but  very 
cheap ;  the  whole  charge  for  their  own  provision,  and  that  of 
their  horses,  being  but  eight  pence.  The  horses,  however, 
refused  to  eat  the  oats,  and  their  own  entertainment  was  far 
from  sumptuous.  After  passing  through  two  large  towns, 
where  they  preached  in  the  market  and  in  the  streets,  as  they 
continued  their  journey,  they  were  overtaken  by  a  man  of 
rank,  who  thought,  at  first,  they  were  highwaymen,  and  pur- 
posed to  have  them  arrested  at  the  next  town.  But  George 
Fox  was  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  speak  to  him,  which 
so  effectually  reached  the  witness  for  God  in  his  own  breast, 
that  he  invited  them  to  his  house,  and  entertained  them 
kindly.  He  and  his  wife  desired  to  be  furnished  with  some 
scripture  proofs  of  the  doctrines  of  Friends ;  a  service  which 
George  willingly  undertook.  As  he  dictated  the  passages, 


MINISTRATIONS   IN   WALES.  181 

their  host  wrote  them  down,  and  was  convinced,  both  by  the 
spirit  of  God  in  his  own  heart,  and  by  the  corroborating  testi- 
mony of  scripture. 

Leaving  this  hospitable  family,  they  came  to  a  hill,  said  to 
be  two  or  three  miles  high,  from  the  top  of  which  an  exten- 
sive prospect  was  spread  out  before  them.  Here  George  Fox 
was  favoured  with  a  sense  of  spiritual  vision,  which  enabled 
him  to  point  out  to  his  companion  the  several  places  where 
"  God  would  raise  up  a  people  to  himself,  to  sit  down  under 
his  own  teaching."  These  places  were  remembered  by  John 
Ap-John,  and  he  lived  to  see  the  prediction  fulfilled. 

At  Dolegelle,  John  again  preached  in  the  streets,  which 
caused  a  great  crowd  to  gather  about  him,  among  whom  were 
two  Independent  ministers.  They  were  both  disputing  with 
him  at  the  same  time,  in  Welsh,  when  George  Fox  coming  up, 
told  them  "  The  things  of  God  were  weighty,  and  they  should 
speak  of  them  with  fear  and  reverence."  Then  he  desired 
them  to  speak  in  English,  and  they  did  so,  affirming  that 
"  The  light  which  John  came  to  bear  witness  of,  was  a  created 
and  natural  light."  He  took  out  his  Bible,  and  showed  them, 
after  his  usual  manner,  that  "  This  light  is  the  life  in  Christ, 
the  Word,  by  which  all  things  were  made  and  created.  The 
same  that  is  called  the  life  in  Christ,  is  called  the  light  in 
men."  "  This  is  an  heavenly  and  divine  light,  which  lets  men 
see  their  evil  words  and  deeds,  and  shows  them  all  their  sins, 
and  if  they  would  attend  to  it,  would  bring  them  to  Christ, 
from  whom  it  comes,  that  they  might  know  him  to  save  them 
from  their  sin,  and  blot  it  out." 

The  next  town  they  visited  was  Caernarvon,  a  walled  place 
like  a  castle.  Here  they  preached  to  the  people  in  the  streets, 
by  most  of  whom  they  were  treated  with  civility,  and 
George  Fox  commended  them  for  their  moderation  and 
sobriety. 

At  Beaumaris  they  met  with  a  very  different  reception. 
John  Ap-John  was  soon  cast  into  prison  for  street  preaching, 
and  George  Fox  was  warned  that  "  If  he  went  into  the  street, 


182  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

they  would  imprison  him."  Upon  this,  he  was  moved  to  go 
and  walk  up  and  down  the  streets.  He  told  the  people  what 
an  uncivil  and  unchristian  thing  they  had  done  in  casting  his 
friend  into  prison,  and  he  asked  them  whether  they,  who 
looked  upon  the  scriptures  to  be  their  rule,  had  any  example 
in  the  scriptures,  from  Christ  or  his  apostles,  for  what  they 
had  done."  John  Ap-John  was,  after  a  short  detention,  set 
at  liberty. 

The  following  day  they  had  to  cross  a  wide  ferry ;  but  a 
rude  company  of  persons,  who  were  called  gentlemen,  having 
entered  the  boat  before  them,  endeavoured  to  prevent  their 
coming  on  board.  George  Fox  rode  to  the  side  of  the  boat, 
and  reproved  them  for  "their  unmanly  and  unchristian  car- 
riage." As  he  spoke,  he  leaped  his  horse  into  the  boat 
amongst  them,  but  the  water  being  deep,  John  Ap-John  could 
not  get  his  horse  on  board.  George,  therefore,  leaped  his 
horse  out  again  into  the  water ;  and  they  had  to  wait  three 
hours  for  the  return  of  the  boat.  It  was  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  before  they  were  taken  on  board,  and  they  had 
forty-two  miles  to  ride  that  evening,  with  only  one  groat  in 
money  between  them,  after  paying  their  passage.  Finding 
no  accommodations  on  the  road,  except  a  little  hay  for  their 
horses,  they  were  under  the  necessity  of  riding  all  night,  and 
about  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  they  came  to  a  place  within 
six  miles  of  Wrexham,  where  that  day  they  met  with  many 
Friends,  and  had  "a  glorious  meeting." 

At  Wrexham,  they  found  many  rude  people,  but  there  were 
some  who  heard  them  attentively,  and  embraced  the  doctrines 
they  taught.  Next  morning,  George  Fox  was  sent  for  by 
"  one  who  was  called  a  lady,  and  kept  a  preacher  at  her 
house."  He  went,  but  found  both  her  and  her  preacher 
"  very  light  and  airy ;  too  light  to  receive  the  weighty  things 
of  God."  She  came  and  asked  him  "if  she  should  cut  his 
hair."  He  bade  her  "  cut  down  the  corruptions  in  herself 
with  the  sword  of  the  spirit  of  God,"  and  after  admonishing 
her  to  be  more  grave  and  sober,  he  withdrew. 


HE  RETURNS  TO  ENGLAND.  183 

From  Wrexham  he  came  to  West  Chester,  and  thence  to 
Liverpool,  having  travelled  through  every  county  in  Wales, 
preaching  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which  was  embraced  and 
adhered  to  hy  many. 

On  the  top  of  a  hill  near  Liverpool,  he  had  a  large  meet- 
ing, which  was  favoured  with  the  overshadowing  wing  of 
Divine  goodness.  From  thence  he  came  to  Manchester,  where 
he  held  a  meeting,  in  which  he  was  assailed  by  the  rude  popu- 
lace with  coals,  clods,  stones,  and  water,  but  finding  they 
could  not  prevail  on  him  to  desist  from  preaching,  they  in- 
formed the  justices  then  in  session,  who  sent  officers  to  bring 
him  before  them.  He  laid  before  the  court,  the  rude  treat- 
ment he  had  received  from  the  people,  and  told  them  he  had 
been  haled  out  of  the  meeting  contrary  to  the  ordinance  of 
government,  which  declares  that  "None  shall  be  molested  in 
their  meetings  who  profess  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
After  some  further  discourse  with  the  justices,  they  directed 
the  constable  to  attend  him  to  his  lodgings,  and  there  to  secure 
him  until  the  next  morning.  But  he  was  released  on  the 
morrow,  and  suffered  to  proceed  on  his  way.  He  now  directed 
his  course  towards  Swarthmore,  and  on  the  way  had  many 
precious  meetings,  two  of  which  were  general  meetings  of 
Friends. 

At  Swarthmore,  he  remained  more  than  a  week,  visiting 
the  neighbouring  meetings.  His  friends  rejoiced  with  him  in 
the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  and  ascribed  praises  to  Him  whose 
eternal  power  had  preserved  his  messenger  and  carried  him 
through  every  danger.  During  this  short  respite  from  travel, 
at  the  hospitable  mansion  of  Judge  Fell,  he  wrote  a  paper  to 
be  circulated  among  the  people,  in  which  he  expostulated  with 
the  professors  of  religion  for  their  unchristian  conduct  in  per- 
secuting the  Friends.  He  wrote  also  two  epistles  addressed 
to  Friends,  from  one  of  which  the  following  passages  are 
selected : 

"  All  Friends  and  brethren  every  where,  now  is  the  day  of 
your  trial,  now  is  the  time  for  you  to  be  valiant,  and  to  see 


184  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

that  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  doth  not  fall.  Now  is  the  day 
for  the  exercise  of  your  gifts,  of  your  patience,  and  of  your 

faith." "And  Friends,  'quench  not  the  spirit,  nor 

despise  prophesying,'  where  it  moves ;  neither  hinder  babes 
and  sucklings  from  crying,  Hosannah ;  for  out  of  their  mouths 
will  God  ordain  strength.  There  were  some  in  Christ's  day 
that  were  against  such,  whom  he  reproved ;  and  there  were 
some  in  Moses'  day  who  would  have  stopped  the  prophets  in 
the  camp,  whom  Moses  reproved ;  and  said,  by  way  of  encou- 
ragement to  them,  'Would  God  that  all  the  Lord's  people 
were  prophets.'  So  I  say  now  to  you.  Therefore  ye  that 
stop  it  in  yourselves,  do  not  quench  it  in  others,  neither  in 
babe  nor  suckling ;  for  the  Lord  hears  the  cry  of  the  needy, 
and  the  sighs  and  groans  of  the  poor.  Judge  not  that,  nor 
the  sighs  and  groans  of  the  spirit,  which  cannot  be  uttered, 
lest  ye  judge  prayer ;  for  prayer  as  well  lies  in  sighs  and 
groans  to  the  Lord,  as  otherwise." 

Leaving  Swarthmore,  he  came  to  John  Audland's,  in  West- 
moreland, where  he  attended  a  great  meeting  of  Friends. 
Here,  a  man  with  a  drawn  sword  designed  to  injure  him,  and 
attempted  to  press  through  the  crowd ;  but  the  Friends  stood 
so  close  that  his  wicked  purpose  was  frustrated. 

Travelling  northward,  and  visiting  meetings,  he  came  to 
Strickland-Head,  where  he  had  a  great  meeting.  Most  of  the 
gentry  of  that  country  being  gathered  at  a  horse-race  not  far 
distant,  he  "was  moved  to  go  and  declare  the  truth  to  them." 
Passing  on  through  Cumberland,  and  holding  meetings,  he 
came  to  Carlisle.  At  this  place,  the  city  authorities  were 
accustomed  to  put  Friends  out  of  the  town ;  but  now,  there 
being  a  great  flood,  he  was  suffered  to  hold  a  meeting  without 
molestation. 

At  Langlands,  in  the  same  county,  he  attended  a  general 
meeting  of  Friends  which  was  very  large ;  for  most  of  the 
people  having  forsaken  the  priests,  the  "steeple-houses"  in 
some  places  stood  unoccupied.  John  Wilkinson,  who  has 
already  been  mentioned  in  this  narrative  as  a  clergyman  who 


EPISTLE   CONCERNING   SLAVES.  185 

had  three  parishes  under  his  care,  had  witnessed  his  congrega- 
tions dwindling  away,  until  they  became  so  few  that  he  left 
the  house  of  public  worship,  and  held  a  meeting  at  his  own 
dwelling.  Afterwards  he  set  up  a  silent  meeting ;  but  very 
few  persons  attended  it,  for  most  of  his  hearers  had  joined  the 
Friends.  "  Thus  he  held  on,"  writes  George  Fox  in  his  journal, 
"till  he  had  not  past  half  a  dozen  left;  the  rest  still  forsaking 
him,  and  coming  away  to  Friends.  At  last,  when  he  had  so 
very  few  left,  he  would  come  to  Pardsey-Crag  (where  Friends 
had  a  meeting  of  several  hundreds  of  people,  who  were  all 
come  to  sit  under  their  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  teaching),  and  he 
would  walk  about  the  meeting  on  the  First-days,  like  a  man 
that  went  about  the  commons  to  look  for  sheep.  During  this 
time,  I  came  to  Pardsey-Crag  meeting ;  and  he,  with  three  or 
four  of  his  followers  yet  left  him,  came  to  the  meeting  that 
day,  and  were  all  thoroughly  convinced.  After  the  meeting, 
Wilkinson  asked  me  two  or  three  questions,  which  I  answered 
to  his  satisfaction ;  from  that  time  he  came  amongst  Friends, 
became  an  able  minister,  preached  the  gospel  freely,  and 
turned  many  to  Christ's  teaching.  And  after  he  had  conti- 
nued many  years  in  the  free  ministry  of  Christ  Jesus,  he  died 
in  the  year  1675." 

During  the  year  1657,  George  Fox  wrote  many  epistles  in 
addition  to  those  preserved  in  his  Journal.  One  of  them 
addressed  "  To  Friends  beyond  the  seas,  that  have  blacks  and 
Indian  slaves,"  is  here  subjoined.*  It  contains  the  earliest 
intimation  of  a  concern  for  the  slaves,  which  we  shall  find 
more  fully  expressed  by  him  at  a  subsequent  period. 

DEAR  FRIENDS  : — I  was  moved  to  write  these  things  to  you 
in  all  those  plantations.  God,  that  made  the  world,  and  all 
things  therein,  giveth  life  and  breath  to  all,  and  they  all  have 
their  life  and  moving,  and  their  being  in  him,  he  is  the  God 
of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  and  is  no  respecter  of  persons :  but 
"  whosoever  feareth  him  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accept- 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  Vol.  VII.  p.  144. 


186  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

ed  of  him."  And  he  hath  made  all  nations  of  one  blood  to 
dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  his  eyes  are  over  all  the 
works  of  his  hands,  and  seeth  every  thing  that  is  done  under 
the  whole  Heavens ;  and  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof.  And  he  causeth  the  rain  to  fall  upon  the  just 
and  upon  the  unjust,  and  also  he  causeth  the  sun  to  shine 
upon  the  just  and  the  unjust ;  and  he  commands  to  love  all 
men,  for  Christ  loved  all,  so  that  'he  died  for  sinners.'  And 
this  is  God's  love  to  the  world ;  in  giving  his  Son  in  to  the 
world :  '  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish.' 
And  he  doth  'enlighten  every  man,  that  cometh  into  the 
world'  that  they  might  believe  in  the  Son.  And  the  gospel  is 
preached  to  every  creature  under  heaven :  which  is  the  power 
that  giveth  liberty  and  freedom,  and  is  glad  tidings  to  every 
captivated  creature  under  the  whole  heavens.  And  the  word 
of  God  is  in  the  heart  and  mouth,  to  obey  and  do  it,  and  not 
for  them  to  ascend  or  descend  for  it ;  and  this  is  the  word  of 
faith  which  was  and  is  preached.  For  Christ  is  given  for  a 
covenant  to  the  people,  and  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  and  to 
enlighten  them,  who  is  the  glory  of  Israel  and  God's  Salva- 
tion, to  the  ends  of  the  earth :  And  so  ye  are  to  have  the 
mind  of  Christ,  and  to  be  merciful,  as  your  Heavenly  Father 
is  merciful. 

GEORGE  Fox." 


HE  VISITS   SCOTLAND.  187 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Visit  to  Scotland — Opposes  the  Calvinistic  Doctrines — The  curses  of 
the  clergy — Visits  Leith — Edinburgh — Summoned  before  the  Coun- 
cil— Ordered  to  leave  the  nation — Goes  toGlasgow — Stirling — Perth — 
Rudely  treated — Keturns  to  Edinburgh — Leaves  Scotland — Comes  to 
New  Castle — Durham — Attends  a  Yearly  Meeting  in  Bedfordshire — 
Advice  to  Ministers — Convincement  of  Isaac  and  Mary  Pennington — 
George  Fox  disputes  with  a  Jesuit. 

1657-8. 

HITHERTO  the  religious  labours  of  George  Fox  had  been 
confined  to  England  and  Wales,  but  in  the  summer  or  autumn 
of  1657,  he  was  led  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  visit  Scotland, 
where  some  meetings  of  Friends  had  already  been  established. 
The  earliest  of  these  meetings  of  which  we  have  any  account, 
were  at  Drumbowy  and  at  Heads ;  both  settled  about  the  year 
1653,  through  the  ministry  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  a  Scotch- 
man. In  the  following  year,  that  country  was  visited  by 
Miles  Halhead  and  James  Lancaster,  who  preached  at  Dum- 
fries, Leith,  Edinburgh,  Glasgow,  and  Stirling.* 

George  Fox  was  accompanied  in  his  journey  by  Robert 
Widders,  who,  he  says,  "  was  a  thundering  man  against  hypoc- 
risy, deceit,  and  the  rottenness  of  the  priests."  The  first 
night  after  passing  the  border,  they  lodged  at  an  inn.  Here 
they  were  informed  that  an  earl,  who  lived  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  distant,  wished  to  see  George  Fox,  and  had  requested 
to  be  informed  if  he  should  come  into  Scotland.  This  noble- 
man, they  were  told,  had  three  draw-bridges  leading  to  his 
house  or  castle,  and  it  would  be  nine  o'clock  before  the  last 
bridge  would  be  drawn.  Finding  they  had  time  in  the  evening 
to  visit  him,  they  went  and  were  cordially  received.  He  told 
them  he  would  have  gone  with  them  in  their  journey,  but  was 

*  Sewell,  1. 124. 


188  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

engaged  to  attend  a  funeral.  After  a  friendly  conversation 
with  him,  they  returned  to  the" inn. 

Proceeding  on  their  journey,  they  had  meetings  at  Heads, 
Badcow,  and  Garshore,  in  which  many  were  convinced  of  their 
principles,  among  whom  was  Lady  Margaret  Hambleton.  In 
these  meetings  George  Fox  boldly  opposed  the  Calvinistic 
doctrine  of  predestination,  then  a  favourite  dogma  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  He  says,  "Now  the  priests  had 
frighted  the  people  with  the  doctrine  of  election  and  reproba- 
tion, telling  them  *  that  God  had  ordained  the  greatest  part 
of  men  and  women  for  hell ;  and  that  let  them  pray  or  preach, 
or  sing,  or  do  what  they  could,  it  was  all  to  no  purpose,  if 
they  were  ordained  for  hell ;  that  God  had  a  certain  number 
which  were  elected  for  heaven ;  and  let  them  do  what  they 
would,  as  David,  an  adulterer,  and  Paul,  a  persecutor,  yet 
elected  vessels  for  heaven.'  So  the  fault  was  not  at  all  in  the 
creature,  less  or  more,  but  God  ordained  it  so."  He  was  led 
to  open  to  the  people  the  falseness  and  folly  of  these  doc- 
trines, showing  that  God  had  warned  those  that  rebelled 
against  his  law,  as,  for  example,  Cain,  Corah,  and  Balaam, 
and  had  said  to  Cain,  "  If  thou  dost  well,  shalt  thou  not  be 
accepted  ?"  Their  reprobation  was  the  result  of  their  disobe- 
dience. Does  not  Christ  say,  "  Go  preach  the  gospel  to  all 
nations."  He  died  for  all  men,  the  ungodly  as  well  as  the 
godly,  and  he  enlightens  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,  that  through  him  they  might  all  believe.  "  Now  all 
that  believe  in  the  light  of  Christ  as  he  commands,  are  in  the 
election,  and  sit  under  the  teaching  of  the  grace  of  God,  which 
brings  their  salvation.  But  such  as  turn  from  this  grace  into 
wantonness  are  in  the  reprobation ;  and  such  as  hate  the  light 
are  in  the  condemnation." 

The  promulgation  of  these  views,  and  the  increase  of 
Friends'  meetings,  exasperated  the  Scotch  clergy,  who,  when 
they  heard  of  George  Fox's  arrival,  cried'  out  that  "  All 
would  be  spoiled,  for,"  said  they,  "he  had  already  spoiled  all 
the  honest  men  and  women  in  England."  So,  according  to 


CURSES    OF   THE   SCOTCH   CLERGY.  189 

their  own  account,  the  worst  were  left  to  them.  In  order  to 
arrest  the  spread  of  what  they  termed  heresy,  the  clergy 
assembled  and  drew  up  a  number  of  curses,  to  be  read  pub- 
licly in  their  congregations. 

The  first  was,  "  Cursed  is  he  that  saith,  'Every  man  hath 
a  light  within  him,  sufficient  to  lead  him  to  salvation  :  and  let 
all  the  people  say,  Amen.' 

"  The  second,  '  Cursed  is  he  that  saith,  Faith  is  without 
sin  :  and  let  all  the  people  say,  Amen.' 

"  The  third,  '  Cursed  is  he  that  denieth  the  Sabbath  day : 
and  let  all  the  people  say,  Amen.' 

"  In  this  last  they  make  the  people  curse  themselves  ;  for 
on  the  Sabbath  day  (which  is  the  seventh  day  of  the  week, 
which  the  Jews  kept  by  the  command  of  God  to  them)  they 
kept  markets  and  fairs,  and  so  brought  the  curse  upon  their 
own  heads. 

"As  to  the  first,  concerning  the  light,  Christ  saith,  'Believe 
in  the  light,  that  ye  may  become  children  of  the  light :'  and, 
'  he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved :  he  that  believeth  shall 
have  everlasting  life  :  he  that  believeth  passes  from  death  to 
life,  and  is  grafted  into  Christ.'  'And  ye  do  well,'  saith 
the  apostle,  '  that  ye  take  heed  unto  the  light,  that  shines  in 
the  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise 
in  your  hearts."  So  the  light  is  sufficient  to  lead  unto  the 
day-star. 

"  As  concerning  faith,  it  is  the  gift  of  God :  and  every 
gift  of  God  is  pure.  The  faith  which  Christ  is  the  Author 
of,  is  precious,  divine,  and  without  sin.  This  is  the  faith 
which  gives  victory  over  sin,  and  access  to  God;  in  which 
faith  they  please  God." 

About  this  time,  the  pastor  of  ail  Independent  church  in 
Scotland,  became  exceedingly  exasperated  against  Friends 
and  their  doctrines,  which  he  denounced  from  his  pulpit.  At 
length,  as  he  was  preaching  one  day,  "he  cursed  the  light," 
and  immediately  fell  down  senseless  in  his  pulpit.  By  the 


190  LIFE   OF   QEOKGE   FOX. 

use  of  stimulants,  he  was  resuscitated,  but  his  intellect  being 
clouded,  he  withdrew  from  his  congregation,  and  never  re- 
covered entirely  the  use  of  his  faculties. 

At  Leith,  George  Fox  and  his  companion  met  with  many 
officers  of  the  army  and  their  wives,  some  of  whom  embraced 
the  principles  of  Friends.  Among  the  proselytes  at  this 
place,  were  Edward  Billing  and  his  wife,  who  at  that  time 
lived  apart.  "  She  being  reached  by  the  Truth,"  says  George 
Fox,  "  we  sent  for  her  husband,  who  came,  and  the  Lord's 
power  reached  to  them  both ;  they  joined  together  in  it,  and 
agreed  to  live  together,  in  love  and  unity,  as  man  and  wife." 

At  Edinburgh,  "  many  thousands  were  gathered  together, 
with  abundance  of  priests,  about  the  burning  of  a  witch ;"  and 
George  Fox,  being  in  the  city,  "  was  moved  to  declare  the 
day  of  the  Lord  amongst  them."  He  then  went  to  Friends' 
meeting,  where  many  rude  people  came,  and  some  Baptists, 
who  brought  forward  their  logic  and  syllogisms,  to  oppose  his 
doctrines.  "  He  told  them,  that  by  this  fallacious  way  of  dis- 
coursing, they  might  make  white  seem  black,  and  black  seem 
white :  as  that  because  a  cock  had  two  legs,  and  each  of  them 
had  two  legs,  therefore  they  were  all  cocks.  Thus  they 
might  turn  any  thing  to  lightness  and  vanity  ;  but  it  was  not 
the  way  of  Christ  or  his  apostles  to  teach  or  reason  after 
that  manner.  Hereupon  they  left  the  house,  and  the  Friends 
had  "  a  blessed  meeting  in  the  Lord's  power  which  was  over  all." 

The  Presbyterian  clergy  having  petitioned  the  National 
Council  against  George  Fox,  he  was  summoned  to  appear 
before  it.  At  the  time  appointed,  he  presented  himself,  and 
was  about  to  be  conducted  into  the  council-chamber,  when  his 
hat  was  taken  off  by  the  door-keeper.  He  asked  "Why  this 
was  done  ?  and  who  were  there  that  he  might  not  go  in  with 
his  hat  on  ?  for  he  had  worn  it  in  the  presence  of  the  Protec- 
tor." The  door-keeper,  however,  hung  up  the  hat,  and 
ushered  him  into  the  council-chamber,  when,  after  standing 
awhile  in  silence,  he  said,  "  Peace  be  among  you.  Wait  in 
the  fear  of  God,  that  ye  may  receive  his  wisdom  from  above, 


ARRAIGNED   BEFORE   THE   SCOTCH   COUNCIL.  191 

by  which  all  things  were  made  and  created ;  that  by  it  ye  may 
all  be  ordered,  and  may  order  all  things  under  your  hands  to 
God's  glory." 

The  discourse  that  ensued  is  thus  related  in  his  Journal. 
"  They  asked  me,  *  What  was  the  occasion  of  my  coming  into 
that  nation  ?'  I  told  them  I  came  to  visit  the  seed  of  God, 
which  had  long  lain  in  bondage  under  corruption ;  that  all  in 
the  nation  who  professed  the  scriptures,  the  words  of  Christ, 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  might  come  to  the  light,  spirit, 
and  power,  which  they  were  in  who  gave  them  forth  ;  that  in 
and  by  the  spirit  they  might  understand  the  scriptures,  and  know 
Christ  and  God  aright,  have  fellowship  with  them,  and  one  with 
another.  They  asked  me  '  Whether  I  had  any  outward  busi- 
ness there ?'  I  said  'Nay.'  Then  they  asked  me,  ' How  long 
T  intended  to  stay  in  that  country?'  I  told  them  'I  should 
say  little  to  that ;  my  time  was  not  to  be  long ;  yet  in  my 
freedom  in  the  Lord  I  stood,  in  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.' 
Then  they  bid  me  withdraw ;  and  the  door-keeper  took  me  by 
the  hand,  and  led  me  forth. 

"  In  a  little  time  they  sent  for  me  again,  and  told  me,  *  I 
must  depart  the  nation  of  Scotland  by  that  day  sevennight.' 
I  asked  them  '  Why  ?  what  had  I  done  ?  What  was  my 
transgression,  that  they  passed  such  a  sentence  upon  me,  to 
depart  out  of  the  nation  ?'  They  told  me  *  They  would  not 
dispute  with  me.'  I  desired  them  to  hear  what  I  had  to  say 
to  them.  They  said  '  They  would  not  hear  me.'  I  told  them 
'  Pharaoh  heard  Moses  and  Aaron,  yet  he  was  an  heathen ; 
and  Herod  heard  John  the  Baptist ;  and  they  should  not  be 
worse  than  these.'  But  they  cried  '  Withdraw,  withdraw !' 
Whereupon  the  door-keeper  took  me  again  by  the  hand,  and 
led  me  out." 

He  returned  to  his  inn,  and  continued  in  the  city,  visiting 
Friends,  and  preaching  the  gospel.  During  his  stay,  he  wrote 
a  letter  to  the  council,  expostulating  with  them  for  their  un- 
christian conduct  in  banishing  him,  "  an  innocent  man,  who 
only  sought  their  salvation  and  eternal  good."  After  spend- 


192  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

ing  some  time  in  Edinburgh,  he  returned  to  Heads,  where 
Friends  were  under  great  sufferings  from  the  intolerance  of 
the  clergy,  who  had  excommunicated  them,  and  interdicted 
the  people  from  dealing  with  them,  or  supplying  them  with 
food  or  drink.  Being  thus  debarred  from  selling  their  com- 
modities, and  from  buying  the  necessaries  of  life,  they 
were  exposed  to  great  privations.  These  uncharitable  pro- 
ceedings were,  however,  arrested  by  Colonel  Ashfield,  who 
was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  that  county.  He  protected  the 
Friends,  and  afterwards  being  convinced  of  their  principles, 
he  joined  in  communion  with  them,  had  a  meeting  at  his 
house,  and  became  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

At  Glasgow,  George  Fox  and  his  companion  appointed  a 
meeting,  but  none  of  the  citizens  attended.  The  guard  at  the 
gates  took  them  before  the  governor,  with  whom  they  had 
much  discourse ;  and  then,  after  preaching  to  the  people  in 
the  streets,  they  left  the  city.  On  going  into  the  Highlands, 
they  met  with  rude  treatment.  "  The  Highlanders,"  says 
George  Fox,  "were  so  devilish,  that  they  had  like  to  have 
spoiled  us  and  our  horses,  for  they  ran  at  us  with  pitchforks ; 
but  through  the  Lord's  goodness  we  escaped  them,  being  pre- 
served by  his  power." 

At  Stirling,  they  could  get  no  meeting,  for  the  hearts  of  the 
people  were  closed  against  them ;  but  the  next  day  after  their 
arrival,  there  was  a  horse-race  near  the  town,  attended  by  a 
great  concourse,  and  as  they  returned,  George  Fox,  being 
always  "instant  in  season,"  embraced  the  opportunity  to 
preach  the  word  of  life  amongst  them. 

Passing  on  through  several  towns,  they  came  to  Johnston's, 
now  called  Perth,  where  a  very  bitter  spirit  was  manifested 
towards  them,  especially  among  the  Baptists,  who,  finding 
they  could  not  prevail  by  disputation,  applied  to  the  governor 
and  obtained  a  company  of  foot-soldiers  to  expel  them  from 
the  town.  George  Fox  was  now  accompanied  by  Robert 
Widders,  Alexander  Parker,  and  James  Lancaster.  As  they 
were  guarded  through  the  streets,  "James  Lancaster  was 


HE   PREACHES   IN   THE   MARKET-PLACE.  193 

moved  to  sing  with  a  melodious  sound  in  the  power  of  God," 
and  George  Fox  preached  the  gospel  to  the  people,  who 
generally  came  out  of  their  houses,  so  that  the  streets  were 
filled  with  them.  The  soldiers  were  so  much  ashamed  of  the 
part  they  were  required  to  act,  that  they  said,  "  They  had 
rather  have  gone  to  Jamaica,  than  to  have  guarded  the 
Friends." 

Being  thus  expelled,  they  proceeded  on  their  way,  and  came 
to  another  market-town,  where  Edward  Billing  and  many  sol- 
diers were  quartered.  Here  they  desired  to  hold  a  meeting, 
and  were  told  hy  the  military  officers  that  they  should  have  it 
in  the  Town  Hall ;  but  the  magistrates,  in  order  to  prevent  it, 
appointed  a  meeting  there  for  public  business.  The  officers 
and  soldiery,  disapproving  of  this  proceeding,  advised  the 
Friends  to  hold  their  meetings  in  the  Town  Hall  nevertheless. 
They  answered,  "  No,  by  no  means,  for  then  it  would  be  said 
we  took  the  hall  by  force.  We  will  go  to  the  market-place." 
The  others  said,  "It  was  market  day."  "So  much  the 
better,"  replied  George  Fox,  "for  we  would  have  all  people  to 
hear  the  truth  and  know  our  principles."  Accordingly  they 
went,  and  Alexander  Parker  stood  upon  the  market-cross  with 
a  bible  in  his  hand,  preaching  to  the  soldiers  and  market 
people,  but  they  paid  little  attention  to  his  discourse.  Pre- 
sently, George  Fox  "  was  moved  to  stand  up,  and,  with  a  loud 
voice,  to  proclaim  the  day  of  the  Lord  that  was  coming  upon 
all  sin  and  wickedness."  This  awakening  call  aroused  the 
people,  who  came  flocking  from  the  Town  Hall,  and  a  large 
company  was  soon  gathered  around  him,  to  whom  the  word  of 
life  was  declared.  "  The  people  were  turned,"  he  says,  "  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  them,  and  had  enlightened 
them,  that  with  his  light  they  might  see  their  evil  deeds,  be 
saved  from  their  sins  by  him,  and  might  come  to  know  him  to 
be  their  teacher.  But  if  they  would  not  receive  Christ  and 
own  him,  it  was  told  them  that  this  light  which  came  from 
him  would  be  their  condemnation."  This  discourse  was  well 
13 


194  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

received  by  many,  and  especially  by  the  English  troops  who 
were  quartered  there. 

Travelling  on,  they  came  to  Leith,  where  the  innkeeper 
told  George  Fox  that  the  council  at  Edinburgh  had  granted  a 
warrant  to  apprehend  him,  because  he  had  not  gone  out  of 
the  nation  at  the  expiration  of  seven  days,  according  to  their 
order.  He  replied,  "  If  there  were  a  cart-load  of  warrants, 
I  do  not  regard  them,  for  the  Lord's  power  is  over  them  all." 
Accordingly,  he  proceeded  to  Edinburgh,  and  went  to  the 
same  inn  where  he  had  lodged  before,  but  no  one  offered  to 
molest  him.  After  visiting  his  friends  in  that  city,  he  re- 
turned to  Johnston's,  (Perth,)  the  town  from  which  he  had 
been  recently  banished.  Here  the  Baptists,  who  had  before 
caused  his  expulsion,  sent  him  a  challenge  to  dispute  with  him 
the  next  day.  He  replied  that  he  would  meet  them  at  a  house 
about  half  a  mile  out  of  town,  at  a  certain  hour.  This  course 
he  pursued  under  an  apprehension  that  they  would  again 
resort  to  their  strong  argument  of  military  power.  He  waited 
for  them  at  the  appointed  time  and  place,  but  they  did  not 
make  their  appearance. 

Returning  once  more  to  Edinburgh,  he  went  to  the  Friends' 
meeting  on  First-day,  and  notice  of  his  coming  having  been 
given,  it  was  attended  by  many  officers  and  soldiers.  It 
proved  to  be  a  precious  meeting,  for  the  grace  of  God  was  felt 
to  reign  among  them  in  his  glorious  power. 

On  his  homeward  journey,  he  and  his  companion  held  a 
meeting  at  Dunbar,  in  the  church-yard,  which  was  largely 
attended  by  all  classes,  and  graciously  owned  by  the  great 
Head  of  the  church,  who  furnished  his  messengers  with  doc- 
trine suited  to  the  state  of  the  people. 

George  Fox  remarks  in  his  Journal,  "This  was  the  last 
meeting  I  had  in  Scotland.  The  truth  and  the  power  of  God 
were  set  over  that  nation,  and  many,  by  the  power  and  spirit 
of  God,  were  turned  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  their  Saviour 
and  teacher,  whose  blood  was  shed  for  them ;  and  there  is 
since  a  great  increase,  and  great  there  will  be  in  Scotland, 


RICE  JONES  AND   HIS   FOLLOWERS.  195 

though  the  time  may  be  far  distant,  at  present.  For  when  first 
I  set  my  horse's  feet  upon  Scottish  ground,  I  felt  the  seed  of 
God  to  sparkle  about  me,  like  innumerable  sparks  of  fire. 
Not  but  that  there  is  abundance  of  thick,  cloddy  earth  of 
hypocrisy  and  falseness  atop,  and  a  briery,  brambly  nature, 
which  is  to  be  burned  up  with  God's  word,  and  ploughed  up 
with  his  spiritual  plough,  before  God's  seed  brings  forth  hea- 
venly and  spiritual  fruit  to  his  glory.  But  the  husbandman 
is  to  wait  in  patience." 

At  Newcastle  he  wished  to  hold  a  meeting,  and  with  that 
view  waited  on  an  alderman  by  the  name  of  Ledger.  This 
man,  in  conjunction  with  the  priests,  had  published  many  books 
against  Friends,  who,  they  asserted,  "  would  not  come  into  , 
any  great  towns,  but  lived  in  the  fells,  like  butterflies."  He 
reminded  Ledger  of  this  expression,  adding,  "Now  we  are 
come  into  your  great  town."  But  the  permission  he  asked 
was  not  granted,  and  therefore  the  meeting  was  held  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Tyne  at  Gate-side,  now  called  Gateshead, 
where  a  Friends'  meeting  was  established. 

At  Durham  he  heard  of  a  man  who  had  lately  come  there 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  college  to  prepare  young  men 
for  the  ministry.  Accompanied  by  some  others,  he  went  to 
see  this  professor,  and  reasoned  with  him  on  the  insufficiency 
of  human  learning  to  qualify  men  to  preach  the  gospel.  The 
man  assented  to  most  of  the  views  advanced,  was  tender  and 
affectionate,  and,  after  some  further  consideration,  relinquished 
his  design. 

Pursuing  his  journey,  and  attending  meetings  on  his  way, 
George  Fox  passed  through  Yorkshire  to  Hull,  and  thence  by 
Pontefract  and  Scalehouse  to  Swarthmore. 

He  soon  after  returned  into  Yorkshire,  and  thence  passed 
through  Cheshire  and  Derbyshire  to  Nottingham.  In  this 
city  he  had  a  meeting  with  Rice  Jones  and  his  congregation, 
who  were  mostly  persons  that  had  been  convinced  of  Friends' 
principles  eight  years  before,  but,  through  the  influence  of 
Jones,  had  been  led  astray.  George  Fox,  after  preaching  to 


196  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  people,  turned  to  Jones,  and  told  him  that  he  had  been 
the  means  of  leading  some  back  again  into  the  world,  who  had 
once  renounced  its  vanities,  and  "that  it  was  the  serpent  in 
him  that  had  scattered  and  done  hurt  to  such  as  were  tender 
towards  the  Lord.  Nevertheless,  if  he  waited  in  the  fear  of 
God  for  the  seed  of  the  woman,  Christ  Jesus,  to  bruise  the 
serpent's  head  in  him,  that  had  scattered  and  done  the  hurt ; 
he  might  come  to  gather  them  again  by  this  heavenly  seed ; 
though  it  would  be  a  hard  work  for  him  to  gather  them  again 
out  of  those  vanities  he  had  led  them  into."  At  this  Rice 
Jones  said,  "  Thou  liest ;  it  is  not  the  seed  of  the  woman  that 
bruises  the  serpent's  head."  "  No  ?"  said  George  Fox,  "  what 
sis  it,  then?"  "I  say  it  is  the  law,"  said  he.  "But,"  an- 
swered George,  "the  scripture,  speaking  of  the  seed  of  the 
woman,  saith  *  It  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise 
his  heel;'  now,  hath  the  law  a  heel  to  be  bruised?"  Then  he 
added,  "  This  seed,  Christ  Jesus,  the  seed  of  the  woman, 
which  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  shall  bruise  thy  head, 
and  break  you  all  in  pieces."  This  admonition  was  of  great 
service,  for  many  of  Jones's  company  were  restored  to  their 
former  standing,  and  the  others  that  would  not  be  gathered, 
like  the  fruitless  fig-tree,  withered  away. 

From  Nottingham  he  travelled  through  several  counties, 
holding  meetings,  until  he  came  to  John  Cook's,  in  Bedford- 
shire, "  where  a  general  yearly  meeting  for  the  whole  nation 
was  appointed  to  be  held."  This  meeting,  which  continued 
several  days,  and  was  attended  by  many  thousands  of  people, 
appears  to  have  been  in  the  spring  of  1658.  He  writes  in  his 
Journal, — "Although  there  was  some  disturbance  by  some 
rude  people  that  had  run  out  from  truth;  yet  the  Lord's 
power  came  over  all,  and  a  glorious  meeting  it  was.  The 
everlasting  gospel  was  preached,  and  many  received  it,  which 
gospel  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  in  them,  and 
shined  over  all. 

"  I  was  moved  by  the  power  and  spirit  of  the  Lord  to  open 
unto  them  the  'promise  of  God,'  that  it  was  made  to  the  seed, 


HIS  VIEWS   ON   THE   MINISTRY.  197 

not  to  seeds,  as  many,  but  to  one ;  which  seed  was  Christ : 
and  that  all  people,  both  male  and  female,  should  feel  this  seed 
in  them,  which  was  heir  of  the  promise ;  that  so  they  might 
all  witness  Christ  in  them,  the  hope  of  glory,  the  mystery 
which  had  been  hid  from  ages  and  generations,  which  was  re- 
vealed to  the  apostles,  and  is  revealed  again  now,  after  the 
long  night  of  apostacy.  So  that  all  might  come  up  into  this 
seed,  Christ  Jesus,  walk  in  it,  and  sit  down  together  in  Hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  was  the  foundation  of  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  the  rock  of  ages,  and  is  our  foundation 
now.  All  sitting  down  in  him,  sit  down  in  the  substance,  the 
first  and  the  last,  that  changes  not,  the  seed  that  bruises  the 
serpent's  head,  which  was  before  he  was,  who  ends  all  the 
types,  figures,  and  shadows,  and  is  the  substance  of  them  all ; 
in  whom  there  is  no  shadow." 

After  speaking  largely  concerning  the  mysteries  of  the 
heavenly  kingdom,  he  was  led  to  address  his  discourse  to  those 
who  were  called  to  the  gospel  ministry.  His  views  on  this 
important  subject,  being  taken  down  by  one  present,  and  pre- 
served in  his  Journal,  are  worthy  of  attention  by  all  who  are 
engaged  in  that  solemn  service.  "It  is  a  weighty  thing,"  he 
says,  "  to  be  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  of  the  Lord  God, 
and  to  go  forth  in  that.  It  is  not  a  customary  preaching. 
It  is  to  bring  people  to  the  end  of  all  outward  preaching.  For 
when  ye  have  declared  the  truth  to  the  people,  and  they  have 
received  it,  and  come  into  that  which  ye  spoke  of;  the  utter- 
ing of  many  words  and  long  declarations  out  of  the  life,  may 

beget  them  into  a  form." "And  take   heed   of 

running  into  inordinate  affections ;  for  when  people  come  to 
own  you,  there  is  danger  of  the  wrong  part  getting  up.  There 
was  a  strife  among  the  disciples  of  Christ  who  should  be  the 
greatest  ?  Christ  told  them,  '  The  heathen  exercise  lordship, 
and  have  dominion  over  one  another,  but  it  shall  not  be  so 

among  you." "  This  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  God 

to  you  all  —  keep  down,  keep  low,  that  nothing  may  rule  nor 
reign  in  you,  but  the  life  itself." "  And  all  Friends 


198  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

be  careful  not  to  meddle  with  the  powers  of  the  earth ;  but  keep 
out  of  all  such  things ;  as  ye  keep  in  the  Lamb's  authority,  ye 
will  answer  that  of  God  in  them,  and  bring  them  to  do  justice, 
which  is  the  end  of  the  law." 

After  the  meeting  was  over,  and  most  of  the  Friends  were 
gone,  there  came  a  troop  of  horse,  with  a  constable,  to  arrest 
George  Fox.  They  sought  for  him  in  the  house  of  John 
Crook ;  but  he  was  then  walking  in  the  garden,  and  they  went 
away  without  accomplishing  their  design. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  it  was  at  this  meeting,  and  through 
the  ministry  of  George  Fox,  that  Isaac  Pennington  was  con- 
vinced of  the  principles  of  Friends.  He  was  the  son  of  Isaac 
Pennington,  a  wealthy  alderman  of  London,  and  a  noted 
member  of  the  Long  Parliament,  who,  perceiving  the  fine 
talents  of  his  son,  gave  him  all  the  advantages  of  education 
that  schools  and  colleges  could  supply.  From  his  childhood 
he  was  religiously  inclined;  he  read  diligently  the  sacred 
scriptures,  watched  over  his  own  heart,  and  prayed  fervently 
to  the  Lord,  who  was  graciously  pleased  to  hear  his  petitions, 
and  to  grant  him  a  sense  of  spiritual  good.  But  he  longed 
for  that  more  full  and  certain  knowledge  of  God,  which  the 
scriptures  testify  was  witnessed  by  men  of  former  ages.  He 
saw  that  the  Christian  church  had  fallen  far  short  of  her 
primitive  glory,  and  he  mourned  for  the  desolations  of  Zion. 
While  in  this  frame  of  mind,  he  saw  and  perused  some  of  the 
writings  of  those  called  Quakers ;  but  he  then  slighted  and 
contemned  them,  as,  in  his  opinion,  falling  very  far  short  of 
that  wisdom  and  power  for  which  he  was  seeking.  He  after- 
wards met  with  some  of  the  Friends,  who  were  led  to  speak 
to  his  condition,  and  he  felt  a  love  for  them ;  yet  he  did  not 
come  into  that  simplicity  of  heart  in  which  alone  the  gospel 
can  be  received.  Being  strong  in  intellect,  and  affluent  in 
language,  he  despised  the  apparent  weakness  of  those  humble 
instruments,  who  had  little  of  the  world's  erudition,  but  were 
deeply  instructed  in  the  school  of  Christ. 

At  length,  he  was  induced  to  attend  a  Friends'  meeting,  on 


HIS  CONTROVERSY  WITH  A  JESUIT.         199 

entering  which  he  felt  the  power  of  the  Most  High  among 
them.  Under  the  heart-searching  ministry  of  George  Fox, 
his  soul  was  penetrated  by  the  Word  of  divine  life,  and  he 
was  ready  to  exclaim,  "  This  is  he  whom  I  have  waited  for 
and  sought  after  from  my  childhood ;  who  was  always  near 
me,  and  fiad  often  begotten  life  in  my  heart,  but  I  knew  him 
not  distinctly,  nor  how  to  receive  him  or  dwell  with  him." 
Thenceforth  he  became  a  devoted  follower  of  the  Lamb,  and 
having  joined  in  membership  with  Friends,  he  became  con- 
spicuous as  an  author  of  religious  works,  and  an  able  minister 
of  the  gospel.  His  wife,  Mary  Pennington,  was  also  con- 
vinced of  Friends'  principles.  By  her  first  husband,  Sir  Wil- 
liam Springett,  she  was  the  mother  of  Gulielma  Maria  Spring- 
ett,  who  became  the  wife  of  William  Penn. 

From  Bedfordshire,  George  Fox  went  to  the  city  of  London, 
and  while  there  he  heard  that  a  Jesuit,  who  came  over  in  the 
suite  of  the  Spanish  ambassador,  had  challenged  the  Quakers 
to  a  dispute  with  him  at  the  Earl  of  Newport's  house.  At 
first  he  offered  to  meet  "twelve  of  their  wisest  and  most 
learned  men  ;"  soon  after,  he  said  he  would  meet  but  six,  and 
when  they  agreed  to  this,  he  reduced  it  to  three  only.  The 
Friends,  fearing  he  would  decline  altogether,  hastened  to  the 
place  appointed,  where  George  Fox  told  Nicholas  Bond  and 
Edward  Burrough  to  go  up  first  and  engage  the  Jesuit  in  con- 
versation, and  that  he  would  walk  awhile  in  the  yard,  and  then 
come  up  after  them.  He  advised  that  they  should  state  this 
question  to  him :  "  Whether  or  not  the  church  of  Rome,  as 
it  now  stood,  was  not  degenerated  from  the  true  church  which 
was  in  the  primitive  times,  from  the  life  and  doctrines,  and 
from  the  power  and  spirit  that  they  were  in  ?"  They 
stated  the  question  accordingly,  and  the  Jesuit  affirmed,  "that 
the  church  of  Rome  now  was  in  the  virginity  and  purity  of 
the  primitive  church."  George  Fox  coming  up  at  this  junc- 
ture, asked  him  "  whether  they  had  the  Holy  Ghost  poured 
out  upon  them  as  the  apostles  had?" 

JESUIT.     "No." 


200  LIFE   OF   GEORGE  FOX. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Then  if  ye  have  not  the  same  Holy  Ghost 
poured  forth  upon  you,  and  the  same  power  and  spirit  that  the 
apostles  had,  ye  are  degenerated  from  the  power  and  spirit 
which  the  primitive  church  was  in." 

There  being  little  more  to  be  said  upon  this  point.  George 
Fox  queried,  "  What  scripture  have  you  for  setting  up  clois- 
ters for  nuns,  abbeys  and  monasteries  for  men ;  for  all  your 
several  orders ;  for  your  praying  by  beads  and  to  images ;  for 
making  crosses ;  for  forbidding  of  meats  and  marriages,  and 
for  putting  people  to  death  for  religion  ?  If  you  are  in  the 
practice  of  the  primitive  church,  in  its  purity  and  virginity, 
then  let  us  see  by  scriptures  where  ever  they  practised  any  such 
things."  (For  it  had  been  agreed  on  both  sides  that  they 
should  prove  by  scripture  what  was  advanced.) 

JESUIT.  "  There  is  a  written  word  and  an  unwritten 
word." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "What  dost  thou  call  thy  unwritten 
word?" 

JESUIT.  "  The  written  word  is  the  scripture,  and  the  un- 
written word  is  that  which  the  apostles  spoke  by  word  of 
mouth;  which  are  all  those  traditions  that  we  practise." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  desire  thee  to  prove  that  by  the  scrip- 
tures." 

JESUIT.  "  The  apostle  Paul  says,  (2  Thess.  ii.  5),  '  When 
I  was  with  you,  I  told  you  these  things.'  That  is,  I  told  you 
of  nunneries  and  monasteries,  and  of  putting  to  death  for 
religion,  and  of  praying  by  beads  and  to  images,  and  to  all 
the  rest  of  the  practices  of  the  church  of  Rome.  This  is 
the  unwritten  word  of  the  apostles,  which  they  told  them,  and 
has  since  been  continued  down  by  tradition  unto  these  times." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  desire  thee  to  read  that  scripture  again, 
that  thou  mayst  see  how  thou  hast  perverted  the  apostle's 
words ;  for  that  which  the  apostle  there  tells  the  Thessalo- 
nians,  ^  he  had  told  them  before,'  is  not  an  unwritten  word, 
but  is  there  written  down,  namely,  '  That  the  man  of  sin,  the 
son  of  perdition,  shall  be  revealed  before  the  great  and  terri- 


HIS   CONTROVERSY  WITH   A  JESUIT.  201 

ble  day  of  Christ,  which  he  was  writing  of,  should  come ; 
so  this  was  not  telling  them  any  of  those  things  that  the 
church  of  Rome  practises.  In  like  manner  the  apostle,  in 
the  third  chapter  of  that  epistle,  tells  the  church  of  some  dis- 
orderly persons  he  heard  were  amongst  them,  busy  bodies, 
who  did  not  work  at  all :  concerning  whom  he  had  commanded 
them  by  his  unwritten  word,  when  he  was  among  them,  that 
if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should  they  eat ;  which  now 
he  commanded  them  again  in  his  written  word  in  this  epistle.' 
(2  Thess.  iii.)  So  this  scripture  affords  no  proof  for  your  in- 
vented traditions."  As  the  priest  had  no  other  scripture  to 
offer,  George  Fox  added,  "  This  is  another  instance  of  the 
degeneration  of  your  church  into  such  inventions  and  tradi- 
tions as  the  apostles  and  primitive  saints  never  practised." 
After  this,  the  Jesuit  advocated  his  sacrament  of  the  altar, 
beginning  with  the  paschal  lamb,  and  the  show-bread,  and 
came  to  the  words  of  Christ,  "  This  is  my  body,"  and  to  what 
the  apostle  wrote  to  the  Corinthians,  concluding,  'l  That  after 
the  priest  had  consecrated  the  bread  and  wine,  it  was  immortal 
and  divine,  and  he  that  received  it  received  the  whole  Christ." 
George  Fox,  after  following  him  through  the  scripture 
texts  he  had  quoted,  thus  continued :  "  The  same  apostle  told 
the  Corinthians,  after  they  had  taken  bread  and  wine,  in 
remembrance  of  Christ's  death,  that  they  were  reprobates, 
"  if  Christ  was  not  in  them ;"  but  if  the  bread  they  ate  was 
Christ,  he  must  of  necessity  be  in  them,  after  they  had  eaten 
it.  Besides,  if  this  bread  and  this  wine,  which  the  Corinthi- 
ans ate  and  drank,  was  Christ's  body,  then  how  hath  Christ  a 
body  in  heaven?"  And  moreover,  "Both  the  disciples  at  the 
supper,  and  the  Corinthians  afterwards,  were  to  eat  the  bread 
and  drink  the  wine"  in  remembrance  of  Christ,  and  to  *  show 
forth  his  death  till  he  came  ;'  which  plainly  proves  the  bread 
-and  wine  which  they  took,  was  not  his  body.  For  if  it  had 
been  his  real  body  that  they  ate,  then  he  had  been  come,  and 
was  there  then  present,  and  it  had  been  improper  to  have 
done  such  a  thing,  in  remembrance  of  him,  if  he  had  been 


LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

there  present  with  them,  as  he  must  have  been,  if  that  bread 
and  wine  which  they  ate  and  drank,  had  been  his  real  body.' 
As  to  those  words  of  Christ,  'This  is  my  body,'  Christ 
calls  himself  a  vine,  and  a  door,  and  is  called  in  scripture 
a  rock.  Is  Christ  therefore  an  outward  rock,  door,  or  vine  ?" 
JESUIT.  "Oh  !  those  words  are  to  be  interpreted." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  So  are  those  words  of  Christ,  '  This  is 
my  body.'  Now  seeing  thou  hast  said,  'the  bread  and  wine 
are  immortal  and  divine,  and  the  very  Christ ;  and  that  who- 
soever receives  them,  receives  the  whole  Christ ;  let  a  meeting 
be  agreed  on  between  some  whom  the  pope  and  his  cardi- 
nals shall  appoint,  and  some  of  us ;  let  a  bottle  of  wine  and  a 
loaf  of  bread  be  brought,  and  divided  each  into  two  parts, 
and  let  them  consecrate  which  of  those  parts  they  will.  Then 
set  the  consecrated  and  the  unconsecrated  bread  and  wine  in 
a  safe  place,  with  a  sure  watch  upon  it ;  and  let  trial  be  thus 
made,  whether  the  consecrated  bread  and  wine  would  not  lose 
their  goodness,  and  the  bread  grow  dry  and  mouldy,  and  the 
wine  turn  dead  and  sour,  as  well  and  as  soon  as  that  which  was 
unconsecrated.  By  this  means,  the  truth  of  this  matter  may 
be  made  manifest.  And  if  the  consecrated  bread  and  wine 
change  not,  but  retain  their  savour  and  goodness,  this  may  be 
a  means  to  draw  many  to  your  church :  if  they  change,  de- 
cay, and  lose  their  goodness,  then  ought  you  to  confess  and 
forsake  your  error,  and  shed  no  more  blood  about  it ;  for 
much  blood  hath  been  shed  about  these  things ;  as  in  Queen 
Mary's  days." 

JESUIT.  "  Take  a  piece  of  new  cloth,  and  cut  it  into  two 
pieces,  and  make  two  garments  of  it,  and  put  one  of  them 
upon  King  David's  back,  and  the  other  upon  a  beggar's,  and 
the  one  garment  shall  wear  away  as  well  as  the  other." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "Is  this  thy  answer?" 

JESUIT.     "  Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Then  by  this  the  company  may  all  be 
satisfied,  that  your  consecrated  bread  and  wine  is  not  Christ. 
Have  ye  told  people  so  long,  that  the  consecrated  bread  and 


HIS   CONTROVERSY  WITH   A  JESUIT.  203 

wine  were  immortal  and  divine,  and  that  they  are  the  very 
real  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  dost  thou  now  say,  it  will 
wear  away  or  decay,  as  well  as  the  other  ?  I  must  tell  thee, 
Christ  remains  the  same  to-day  as  yesterday,  and  never 
decays,  but  is  the  saints'  heavenly  food,  in  all  generations, 
through  which  they  have  life." 

The  Jesuit  made  no  reply  to  this,  being  willing  to  drop  the 
subject ;  for  all  the  company  saw  his  error,  and  that  he  could 
not  defend  his  position.  George  Fox  then  queried  of  him, 
"  Why  does  your  church  persecute  and  put  people  to  death 
for  religion?" 

JESUIT.  "  It  is  not  the  church  that  does  it,  but  the  magis- 
trates." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Are  not  those  magistrates  counted,  and 
called  believers  and  Christians?" 

JESUIT.     "Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Then  are  they  not  members  of  your 
church?" 

JESUIT.     "Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  leave  the  people  to  judge,  from  his  own 
confession,  whether  the  church  of  Rome  doth  not  persecute 
and  put  people  to  death  for  religion  ?" 

Thus  the  controversy  ended,  and  the  subtilty  of  the  priest 
was  confuted. 


204  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Interview  with  Cromwell,  and  letter  to  him — Letter  to  Lady  Claypole — 
To  the  Protector,  on  persecution  —  Sufferings  of  Friends  —  Letter  to 
Parliament — Last  interview  with  Cromwell — Death  of  the  Protector — 
His  character — Independents'  declaration,  and  George  Fox's  answer 
—  Illness  of  George  Fox  at  Reading  —  His  epistle  to  Friends  against 
war — Richard  Cromwell — Changes  of  government — General  Monk — 
Commotion  in  London  —  George  Fox  visits  the  west  of  England  — 
Meeting  in  the  orchard  at  Bristol. 

1658-9. 

DURING  the  sojourn  of  George  Fox  in  London,  he  was 
assiduously  engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel,  defending  his 
principles  by  controversy,  and  attending  to  the  sufferings  of 
his  friends,  who  were  still  subjected  to  heavy  fines,  and  long 
imprisonments,  on  account  of  their  religious  testimonies.  In 
an  interview  with  Cromwell,  he  laid  these  sufferings  before 
him,  and  doubtless  reminded  him  of  his  own  professions  in 
favour  of  religious  liberty.  He  also  warned  the  Protector 
against  accepting  the  regal  title  which  the  Parliament  wished 
to  confer  upon  him,  and  he  concluded  by  telling  him  that  if 
he  did  not  avoid  these  things,  "  He  would  bring  shame  and 
ruin  upon  himself  and  his  posterity."  This  remonstrance 
was  well  received,  and  soon  after  the  interview  the  following 
letter  was  written : 

"  0  PROTECTOR  !  who  hast  tasted  of  the  power  of  God, 
which  many  generations  before  thee  have  not  so  much,  since 
the  days  of  apostacy  from  the  apostles,  take  heed  that  thou 
lose  not  thy  power  ;  but  keep  kingship  off  thy  head,  which  the 
world  would  give  to  thee ;  and  earthly  crowns  under  thy  feet, 
lest  with  that  thou  cover  thyself,  and  so  lose  the  power  of 
God.  When  the  children  of  Israel  went  from  that  of  God  in 
them,  they  would  have  kings,  as  other  nations  had,  as  trans- 


HIS  LETTER  TO  LADY  CLAYPOLE.          205 

gressors  had ;  and  so  God  gave  them  one ;  and  what  did  they 
do  then  ?  And  when  they  would  have  taken  Christ,  and  made 
him  a  king,  he  hid  himself  from  them ;  he  was  hid  from  that 
which  would  have  made  him  a  king,  he  who  was  the  king  of 
the  Jews  inward.  Oh !  Oliver,  take  heed  of  undoing  thy- 
self, by  running  into  things  that  will  fade,  the  things  of  this 
world,  that  will  change.  Be  subject  and  obedient  to  the  Lord 
God. 
,  GEORGE  Fox."* 

About  this  time,  Lady  Claypole,  the  favourite  daughter  of 
the  Protector,  being  sick  and  much  troubled  in  mind,  could 
obtain  no  comfort  from  any  that  attended  her ;  whereupon 
George  Fox  wrote  to  her  as  follows : 

"  FRIEND  : — Be  still  and  cool  in  thy  own  mind  and  spirit 
from  thy  own  thoughts,  and  then  thou  wilt  feel  the  principle 
of  God  to  turn  thy  mind  to  the  Lord,  from  whom  life  comes  ; 
whereby  thou  mayst  receive  his  strength  and  power  to  allay 
all  storms  and  tempests."  ....  "  Keep  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  God ;  that  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  unto  thee. 
For  all  these  things  happen  to  thee  for  thy  good,  and  for  the 
good  of  those  concerned  for  thee,  to  make  you  know  your- 
selves and  your  own  weakness,  that  ye  may  know  the  Lord's 
strength  and  power,  and  may  trust  in  him."  .... 
"  The  same  light  which  lets  you  see  sin  and  transgression,  will 
let  you  see  the  covenant  of  God,  which  blots  out  your  sin  and 
transgression,  which  gives  victory  and  dominion  over  it,  and 
brings  into  covenant  with  God."  .  .  "  So  in  the 

name  and  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     God  Almighty 
strengthen  thee. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

When  this  letter  was  read  to  her,  she  said  it  stayed  her 
mind  for  the  present. 

At  this  time,  a  public  subscription  for  the  relief  of  the 
suffering  Protestants  of  Poland  and  Bohemia  being  recom- 
mended by  the  Protector,  and  a  proclamation  having  been 

*  Sewel,  I.  182. 


206  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

recently  issued  for  a  day  of  fasting  and  humiliation,  on  account 
of  the  Waldenses,  who  were  persecuted  by  the  Duke  of  Savoy, 
George  Fox  was  induced  to  write  a  letter  to  the  Protector  and 
principal  officers  of  government,  to  show  the  nature  of  the 
true  fast  which  God  requires,  and  to  make  them  sensible  of 
their  injustice  and  self-condemnation,  in  blaming  the  Papists 
for  persecuting  the  Protestants,  while  they  were  themselves 
guilty  of  the  same. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  he  had  no  confidence  in  the  sancti- 
monious professions  of  the  men  then  in  power,  for  their  con- 
duct afforded  no  evidence  of  a  Christian  spirit.  "Divers 
times,"  he  says,  "  both  in  the  time  of  the  Long  Parliament 
and  of  the  Protector,  (so  called,)  and  of  the  committee  of 
safety,  when  they  proclaimed  fasts,  I  was  moved  to  write  to 
them,  and  tell  them  their  fasts  were  like  unto  Jezebel's  :  for 
commonly,  when  they  proclaimed  fasts,  there  was  some  mis- 
chief contrived  against  us.  I  knew  their  fasts  were  for  strife 
and  debate,  to  smite  with  the  fist  of  wickedness  ;  as  the  New 
England  professors  soon  after  did ;  who,  before  they  put  our 
friends  to  death,  proclaimed  a  fast  also."  The  following  pas- 
sage from  a  letter,  written  in  London,  by  Richard  Hubber- 
thorn  to  George  Fox,  throws  some  light  upon  the  course  pur- 
sued by  Cromwell.  "  This  week  did  the  mayor  and  aldermen 
and  common  councilmen  of  this  city  go  up  to  Whitehall,  to 
Oliver,  and  he  made  a  speech  among  them,  concerning  the 
danger  of  enemies,  and  of  Charles  being  ready  in  Flanders  to 
come  over  with  an  army  into  England ;  and  in  his  declaration 
he  spoke  more  against  Friends  than  ever  before  he  formerly 
expressed,  saying  that  there  was  a  good  law  made  against  the 
Quakers,  and  that  they  did  well  to  put  it  in  execution,  and  he 
would  stand  by  them ;  for,  he  said,  they  were  against  both 
magistracy  and  ministry.  So  he  and  they  are  all  hardened 
against  the  truth ;  and  all  their  pretences  of  setting  Friends 
at  liberty,  which  they  were  once  about,  are  now  ceased ;  and 
they  are  only  plotting  how  to  exalt  themselves  in  the  earth."  * 

*  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  No.  XX.  (16th  of  1st  mo.  1657.) 


HIS   LETTEK   TO   PARLIAMENT.  207 

It  was  now  a  time  of  great  suffering  among  the  Friends, 
there  being  seldom  fewer  than  a  thousand  of  them  in  prison, 
besides  the  frequent  abuse  of  their  persons,  and  the  spoiling 
of  their  goods.  Many  were  led  by  a  sense  of  duty,  to  go  to 
the  Parliament  and  offer  themselves  "  to  lie  in  the  same  prisons 
where  their  friends  lay,  in  order  that  the  prisoners  might  come 
forth,"  and  not  perish  in  the  foul  and  loathsome  jails.  "This 
we  did,"  says  George  Fox,  "in  love  to  God  and  our  brethern, 
that  they  might  not  die  in  prison ;  and  in  love  to  those  that 
cast  them  in,  that  they  might  not  bring  innocent  blood  upon 
their  own  heads,  which  we  knew  would  cry  to  the  Lord,  and 
bring  his  wrath,  vengeance  and  plagues  upon  them."  Little 
attention  was  paid  to  these  noble  and  disinterested  offers, 
which  were  too  often  answered  only  with  threats  or  blows. 

The  Parliament,  being  mostly  composed  of  those  who  made 
great  professions  of  sanctity,  George  Fox,  in  order  to  reprove 
their  hypocrisy  sent  them  the  following  lines  : 

"  0  FRIENDS  : — do  not  cloak  and  cover  yourselves :  there 
is  a  God  that  knoweth  your  hearts,  and  that  will  uncover  you. 
He  seeth  your  way.  "  Wo  be  to  him  that  covereth,  but  not 
with  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord."  Do  ye  act  contrary  to  the 
law,  and  then  put  it  from  you  ?  Mercy  and  true  judgment 
ye  neglect.  Look,  what  was  spoken  against  such.  My 
Saviour  spoke  against  such ;  '  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me 
not :  I  was  hungry,  and  ye  fed  me  not :  I  was  a  stranger, 
and  ye  took  me  not  in :  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me 
not.'  But  they  said,  '  When  saw  we  thee  in  prison,  and  did 
not  come  to  thee?'  '  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  unto  one  of 
these  little  ones,  ye  did  it  not  unto  me.'  Friends,  ye  im- 
prison them  that  are  in  the  life  and  power  of  truth,  and  yet 
profess  to  be  the  ministers  of  Christ ;  but  if  Christ  had  sent 
you,  ye  would  bring  out  of  prison,  out  of  bondage,  and  receive 
strangers.  Ye  have  lived  in  pleasure  on  the  earth,  and  been 
wanton ;  ye  have  nourished  your  hearts,  as  in  a  day  of 


208  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

slaughter;  ye  have  condemned  and  killed  the  just,  and  he 
doth  not  resist  you. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

Having  been  some  time  in  London,  he  now  felt  at  liberty 
to  leave  the  city  ;  but,  as  he  was  going-  out  in  company  with 
two  of  his  friends,  they  were  arrested  by  two  troopers  of 
Colonel  Hacker's  regiment,  and  were  taken  to  the  Mews, 
where,  after  being  detained  a  short  time  without  examination, 
they  were  liberated.  The  same  day  he  went  to  Hampton 
Court  to  speak  to  the  Protector,  concerning  the  sufferings  of 
Friends.  This  interview,  which  proved  to  be  his  last  with 
Cromwell,  is  thus  related  in  his  Journal : 

"  I  met  him  riding  into  Hampton  Court  Park  ;  and  before 
I  came  to  him,  as  he  rode  at  the  head  of  his  life-guard,  I  saw 
and  felt  a  waft  (or  apparition)  of  death  go  forth  against  him ; 
and  when  I  came  to  him,  he  looked  like  a  dead  man.  After 
I  had  laid  the  sufferings  of  Friends  before  him,  and  had 
warned  him,  as  I  was  moved  to  speak  to  him,  he  bid  me  come 
to  his  house.  So  I  returned  to  Kingston,  and  the  next  day 
went  to  Hampton  Court,  to  have  spoken  further  with  him. 

But  when  I  came,  he  was  sick,  and Harvy,  who  waited 

on  him,  told  me,  the  doctors  were  not  willing  I  should  speak 
with  him.     So  I  passed  away,  and  never  saw  him  more." 

The  extraordinary  career  of  Cromwell  was  now  drawing  to 
its  close.  The  mighty  potentate  whose  sway  was  absolute  at 
home,  and  whose  arms  inspired  terror  abroad,  had  for  some 
time  past  been  subject  to  a  wasting  disease,  aggravated,  it  is 
said,  by  the  dread  of  assassination,  and  the  reproaches  of  a 
wounded  conscience.  The  death  of  his  favourite  daughter, 
Lady  Claypole,  had  preyed  upon  his  spirits ;  and  the  more 
especially  as  she,  in  her  last  illness,  "  had  lamented  his  san- 
guinary measures,  and  urged  him  to  compunction."*  Being 
apprehensive  that  his  disease  would  prove  fatal,  he  asked 
Doctor  Godwin,  one  of  his  preachers,  "  Whether  a  man  could 

*  Hume,  IV.  128-9. 


CONTRAST   BETWEEN   CROMWELL  AND   FOX.  209 

fall  from  grace?"  which  the  doctor  answering  in  the  negative, 
the  Protector  replied,  "  Then  I  am  safe,  for  I  am  sure  that  I 
was  once  in  a  state  of  grace."*  It  is  said,  however,  by  the 
advocates  of  Cromwell,  that  in  the  solemn  hour  of  approaching 
dissolution,  "  he  declared  that  all  he  had  done  had  been  for 
the  welfare  of  the  nation,  to  save  it  from  anarchy,  and  from 
another  war."  And  moreover,  it  is  asserted  that  he  then 
"  showed  much  inward  consolation  and  peace,  annihilating  and 
judging  himself  before  God."f 

He  died  on  the  third  of  September  (then  the  7th  month), 
1658,  being  the  anniversary  of  his  famous  battles  of  Dunbar 
and  Worcester,  a  day  he  always  celebrated  by  rejoicings  in 
honour  of  those  signal  victories. 

Among  all  the  great  men  and  master  spirits,  whose  minds 
were  developed  during  the  troubled  and  eventful  period  of  the 
civil  war  in  England,  none  were  more  remarkable  for  their 
qualities  and  their  success,  nor  do  any  afford  a  more  striking 
contrast  in  their  characters,  than  George  Fox  and  Oliver 
Cromwell.  Both  were  endowed  with  great  talents,  and  sub- 
jected to  deep  spiritual  conflicts ;  but  how  different  were  the 
results  in  their  principles  and  conduct !  Cromwell  took  up 
arms  to  resist  his  sovereign,  signed  the  warrant  for  his  execu- 
tion, became  the  chief  actor  in  some  of  the  bloodiest  battles 
on  record,  and,  in  his  Irish  campaign,  "showed  towards  his 
enemies  greater  severity  than  had  ever,  perhaps,  been  exer- 
cised by  the  pagan  leaders  of  antiquity."  J  Yet,  being  under 
the  influence  of  a  delusive  fanaticism,  he  could  thank  God  for 
victories  stained  with  crime,  saying,  "  God  made  them  as 
stubble  to  our  swords."  "This  is  no  other  than  the  work  of 
God,  and  he  must  be  a  very  atheist  that  does  not  acknowledge 
it." 

George  Fox,  being  called  to  a  spiritual  warfare,  and  becom- 
ing a  subject  of  Christ's  peaceable  kingdom,  did  not  "meddle 
with  the  powers  of  the  earth,"  nor  could  he  take  up  the  sword, 
even  in  self-defence.  Like  his  Divine  Master,  he  was  willing 

*  Neal,  II.  181.         f  D'AubignS's  Cromwell,  263.         J  Ibid,  109. 
14 


210  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

to  suffer  for  the  truth,  giving  his  cheek  to  the  smiter,  and  not 
returning  insult  with  injury,  but  "overcoming  evil  with  good." 

Cromwell,  having  attained  to  absolute  power,  professed  to 
be  the  guardian  of  the  church,  and  the  champion  of  religious 
freedom ;  yet  he  suffered  his  name  and  his  power  to  be  used 
for  the  persecution  of  the  Friends,  thus  destroying  the  liberty 
he  professed  to  guard.  George  Fox  was  the  staunch  and  con- 
sistent advocate  of  religious  liberty,  which  he  advanced  by 
suffering,  and  by  preaching  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 

The  power  of  Cromwell  died  with  him,  being  founded  on 
usurpation,  and  supported  by  the  sword :  that  of  George  Fox 
still  survives,  and  continues  to  spread  in  ever- widening  circles ; 
being  founded  on  religious  principles,  that  are  in  their  nature 
imperishable. 

A  short  time  before  the  death  of  the  Protector,  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Independents,  or  Congregational  churches,  in 
London,  met  together,  and  proposed  that  there  should  be  a 
conference  of  ministers  and  messengers  from  their  churches 
in  city  and  country,  in  order  to  prepare  a  declaration  of  their 
faith.  To  this  proposition  Cromwell  reluctantly  consented, 
but  their  assembly,  which  was  convoked  at  the  Savoy,  in 
London,  did  not  take  place  till  more  than  a  month  after  his 
decease.  They  adopted,  with  some  slight  alterations,  the 
doctrinal  articles  of  the  Westminster  Assembly,  and,  in  rela- 
tion to  church  government,  substituted  new  articles  of  their 
own,  declaring  the  independency  of  each  congregation,  in  the 
appointment  of  its  officers,  and  the  administration  of  its  dis- 
cipline.* 

George  Fox  having  obtained  a  copy  of  this  declaration  of 
faith,  before  its  publication,  wrote  strictures  on  it,  "  and  when 
their  book  of  church  faith  was  sold  up  and  down  the  streets, 
his  answer  to  it  was  sold  also."  This  gave  umbrage  to  some 
of  the  members  of  Parliament,  one  of  whom  told  him, 
"They  must  have  him  to  Smithfield,"  but  he  replied  that 
"he  was  above  their  fires,  and  feared  them  not."  He  desired 

*  Neal,  II.  178-9. 


EXPOSTULATES   WITH   THE   POPULACE.  211 

them  to  consider,  "  Had  all  people  been  without  a  faith  these 
1600  years,  that  now  the  priests  must  make  them  one  ?  Did  not 
the  apostle  say,  that  Jesus  was  the  author  and  finisher  of  their 
faith  ?  And  since  Christ  Jesus  was  the  author  of  the  apostle's 
faith,  of  the  Church's  faith  in  the  primitive  times,  and  of  the 
martyrs'  faith,  should  not  all  people  look  unto  him  to  be  the 
author  and  finisher  of  their  faith,  and  not  to  the  priests?" 
Major  Wiggan  being  present,  asserted  that  "  Christ  had 
taken  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  but  had  left  the  power  of  sin  re- 
maining in  us."  George  Fox  answered,  "  That  was  strange 
doctrine ;  for  Christ  came  to  destroy  the  devil's  works,  and 
the  power  of  sin,  and  so  to  cleanse  man  from  sin." 

At  a  meeting  about  seven  miles  from  London,  the  populace 
usually  came  from  several  adjacent  parishes  to  abuse  Friends, 
whom  they  often  beat  and  bruised  exceedingly.  On  one  occa- 
sion, about  eighty  persons  were  maltreated  by  them,  some 
having  their  coats  and  cloaks  torn  off,  others  being  thrown 
into  ditches  and  ponds,  or  smeared  with  dirt.  George  Fox, 
being  informed  of  these  proceedings,  was  moved  to  attend  the 
next  meeting  at  that  place.  When  he  came,  he  directed 
Friends  to  bring  a  table,  and  set  it  in  the  close  where  they 
met.  The  rabble  came  as  usual,  and  he  stood  upon  the  table 
with  a  bible  in  his  hand,  showing  them  the  fruits  of  their  priests' 
teaching,  and  expostulating  with  them  for  their  unchristian 
conduct,  until  they  became  ashamed,  and  were  quiet.  He  then 
opened  the  scriptures  to  them,  showing  that  the  principles  of 
Friends  agreed  therewith,  and  the  meeting  ended  in  peace. 

Soon  after  this  he  went  to  Reading,  where,  being  under 
great  sufferings  and  exercises,  "  his  countenance  was  altered, 
and  his  body  became  poor  and  thin."  He  was  impressed 
with  a  sense  and  belief  that  great  confusion  was  coming  upon 
the  people,  and  that  the  powers  of  government  would  be 
shaken.  He  saw  that  a  great  deal  of  hypocrisy,  deceit,  and 
strife  prevailed  among  the  people,  "  so  that  they  were  ready 
to  sheathe  their  swords  in  one  another's  bowels."  "  There 
had  been  tenderness  among  them  formerly,  when  they  were 


212  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

low,  but  when  they  got  up,  had  killed,  and  taken  possession, 
they  came  to  be  as  bad  as  others."  ..."  They  had  hardened 
themselves  by  persecuting  the  innocent,  and  were  at  this  time 
crucifying  the  seed,  Christ,  both  in  themselves  and  others. 
"I  had,"  says  George  Fox,  "a  sight  and  sense  of  the  king's 
return  a  good  while  before,  and  so  had  some  others.  I  wrote 
to  Oliver  several  times,  and  let  him  know,  that  while  he  was 
persecuting  God's  people,  they  whom  he  accounted  his  enemies 
were  preparing  to  come  upon  him.  When  some  forward 
spirits  that  came  amongst  us,  would  have  bought  Somerset- 
house,  that  we  might  have  meetings  in  it,  I  forbade  them  to 

do  so :  for  I  then  foresaw  the  king's  coming  in  again." 

"  I  saw  that  a  great  stroke  must  come  upon  those  in  power : 
for  they  that  had  then  got  possession  were  so  exceedingly 
high,  and  such  great  persecution  was  acted  by  them  who 
called  themselves  saints,  that  they  would  take  from  Friends 
their  copy-hold  lands,  because  they  could  not  swear  in  their 
courts.  Sometimes,  when  we  laid  these  sufferings  before 
Oliver  Cromwell,  he  would  not  believe  it.  Wherefore 
Thomas  Aldam  and  Anthony  Pearson  were  moved  to  go 
through  all  the  jails  in  England,  and  to  get  copies  of  Friends' 
commitments  under  the  jailor's  hands,  that  they  might  lay  the 
weight  of  their  sufferings  upon  Oliver  Cromwell.  And  when 
he  refused  to  give  order  for  the  releasing  of  them,  Thomas 
Aldam  was  moved  to  take  his  cap  off  his  head,  and  rend  it  in 
pieces  before  him,  and  say  unto  him,  "  So  shall  thy  govern- 
ment be  rent  from  thee  and  thy  house." 

After  remaining  some  weeks  at  Reading,  George  Fox, 
having  regained  his  strength,  returned  to  London.  The  body 
of  Oliver  Cromwell  was  then  lying  in  state,  previous  to  his 
interment;  which  did  not  take  place  till  more  than  eleven 
weeks  after  his  decease.*  The  great  hall  of  Somerset-house, 
where  he  lay,  was  lighted  with  four  or  five  hundred  candles ; 
his  effigy  was  exhibited,  and  near  it  were  men  stationed, 
sounding  with  trumpets.  George  Fox,  being  grieved  and  dis- 

*  Neal,  II.  181,  and  Note. 


THE  PROTECTORATE  OF  RICHARD.          213 

gusted  with  this  pompous  ceremony,  so  much  at  variance  with 
all  the  professions  of  the  Puritans,  wrote  a  letter  of  expostu- 
lation to  those  who  were  concerned  in  it. 

He  also  wrote  an  epistle  to  Friends,  exhorting  them  to  keep 
clear  of  all  "the  plotting  and  contriving"  by  which  the  several 
political  factions  sought  to  promote  their  own  aggrandizement. 
"You  are  called  to  peace,"  he  says,  "  therefore  follow  it ;  that 
peace  is  in  Christ,  not  in  Adam  in  the  fall.  All  that  pretend 
to  fight  for  Christ  are  deceived,  for  his  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world,  therefore  his  servants  do  not  fight.  Fighters  are  not 
of  Christ's  kingdom,  but  are  without  Christ's  kingdom;  for 
his  kingdom  stands  in  peace  and  righteousness,  but  fighters 
are  in  the  lust :  and  all  that  would  destroy  men's  lives  are  not 

of  Christ's  mind,  who  came  to  save  men's  lives." 

"  All  that  pretend  to  fight  for  the  gospel  are  deceived ;  for 
the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  which  was  before  the  devil,  or 
the  fall  of  man  was:  and  the  gospel  of  peace  was  before 
fighting  was.  Therefore  they  that  pretend  fighting,  and  talk 
of  fighting  so,  are  ignorant  of  the  gospel.  All  that  talk  of 
fighting  for  Sion,  are  in  darkness ;  Sion  needs  no  such 
helpers."* 

At  this  time,  the  British  government  was  subjected  to  many 
sudden  and  surprising  mutations.  On  the  death  of  the  Pro- 
tector, his  son  Richard  was  proclaimed  his  successor ;  but 
being  a  man  of  easy  temper  and  humane  feelings,  he  would 
not  adopt  the  severe  measures  deemed  necessary  to  maintain 
his  authority.  The  powerful  army  which  had  sustained  his 
father,  was  governed  by  officers  who  were  republicans  in  prin- 
ciple, or  jealous  of  the  young  Protector.  At  their  instance, 
he  dissolved  the  Parliament  which  had  just  been  elected ;  and 
having,  by  this  fatal  step,  lost  the  only  stay  that  could  support 
his  authority,  he  resigned  the  Protectorship,  and  retired  to 
the  shades  of  private  life. 

The  officers  of  the  army  summoned  the  remains  of  the  old 
Parliament  which  had  been  dissolved  by  Oliver ;  and  this  body, 

*  Journal,  I.  382. 


214  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX» 

on  assuming  the  government,  immediately  declared  for  a 
Commonwealth  without  a  chief  magistrate,  or  house  of  peers. 
The  Parliament  next  attempted  to  control  the  military  officers 
who  had  restored  them  to  power ;  but  these  not  submitting, 
secured  the  avenues  to  the  Parliament  House,  prevented  the 
members  from  assembling,  and  appointed  a  committee,  chiefly 
from  among  themselves,  to  exercise  supreme  authority.  This 
was  the  committee  of  safety,  of  which  Sir  Henry  Vane  was 
chairman.  They  retained  their  supremacy  but  a  short  time ; 
for  being  informed  that  General  Monk,  who  had  been  Crom- 
well's chief  commander  in  Scotland,  was  marching  into  Eng- 
land with  his  army,  they  resigned  their  authority,  and  restored 
the  Parliament,  which  met  again  the  26th  of  December  (10th 
month  0.  S.),  1659.  This  Parliament  was  called  the  Rump, 
probably  because  a  part  of  its  members  had  been  secluded  by 
Cromwell,  in  1648.  The  Presbyterian  party  being  predomi- 
nant in  London,  insisted  on  the  restoration  of  these  members 
to  their  seats ;  and  when  General  Monk  arrived  in  the  metro- 
polis, he  united  with  them,  and  carried  that  measure.  The 
House,  thus  augmented,  being  under  the  control  of  the  Pres- 
byterians, immediately  passed  an  act  to  revive  the  solemn 
league  and  covenant,  and  to  establish  their  creed  and  directory 
as  the  state  religion.  In  compliance  with  the  demand  of 
General  Monk,  and  the  prevalent  wish  of  the  nation,  the  Par- 
liament then  decreed  its  own  dissolution,  and  the  election  of  a 
new  Parliament,  to  meet  in  the  spring  of  1660. 

While  these  rapid  and  violent  changes  were  taking  place, 
the  nation  was  in  a  state  of  great  agitation.  Each  of  the 
contending  parties  endeavoured  to  gain  partisans,  and  some 
persons,  who  attended  Friends'  meetings,  were  only  prevented 
from  taking  up  arms  by  the  influence  of  George  Fox.  While 
the  committee  of  safety  was  in  power,  great  places  and  com- 
mands were  tendered  to  some  of  the  Friends  if  they  would 
take  up  arms  for  the  commonwealth;  but  they  declined  all 
such  offers,  and  publicly  maintained  their  peaceable  principles, 
declaring  that  "  their  weapons  were  not  carnal,  but  spiritual." 


CONTROVERSY  WITH   A   CLERGYMAN.  215 

During  this  season  of  commotion,  George  Fox  addressed  a 
letter  to  Friends,  warning  them  to  "  keep  out  of  the  powers 
of  the  earth,  which  run  into  wars  and  fightings," — to  take 
heed  of  meddling  with  other  men's  matters,  and  to  dwell  in 
the  power  of  the  Lord,  and  in  unity  and  love  one  to  another." 

After  some  stay  in  London,  he  travelled  through  several 
counties,  and  coming  to  Norwich  in  the  early  part  of  winter, 
1659,  he  held  a  meeting,  which  was  largely  attended.  Among 
the  audience  were  several  clergymen,  one  of  whom,  named 
Townsend,  stood  up  and  cried,  "Error,  blasphemy,  and  an 
ungodly  meeting!" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  desire  thee  not  to  burden  thyself  with 
that  which  thou  canst  not  make  good.  What  is  our  error  and 
blasphemy  ?  As  for  an  ungodly  meeting,  I  do  believe  there 
are  many  people  here  who  fear  God,  and  therefore  it  is  both 
unchristian  and  uncivil  to  charge  civil,  godly  people  with  an 
ungodly  meeting." 

TOWNSEND.  "  The  error  and  blasphemy  is  in  your  saying 
that  people  must  wait  on  God  by  his  power  and  spirit,  and 
feel  his  presence  when  they  do  not  speak  words." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Did  not  the  apostles  and  holy  men  of 
God  hear  God  speak  to  them  in  their  silence,  before  they 
spake  forth  the  scripture,  and  before  it  was  written." 

TOWNSEND.  "Yes.  David  and  the  prophets  did  hear  God 
before  they  penned  the  scriptures,  and  felt  his  presence  in 
silence  before  they  spake  them  forth." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "All  people  take  notice,  he  said  this  was 
error  and  blasphemy  in  me  to  say  those  words,  and  now  he 
hath  confessed  it  is  no  more  than  the  holy  men  of  God  in 
former  times  witnessed." 

This  controversy  being  ended,  the  meeting  became  quiet,* 
and  was  crowned  with  the  evidence  of  divine  favour,  insomuch 
that  even  the  rude  people  who  came  to  oppose,  desired  another 
meeting. 

He  returned  to  London  about  the  time  that  General  Monk 
arrived  there,  when  the  city  was  dismantled  of  its  gates. 


216  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

"Long  before  this,"  he  says,  "I  had  a  vision,  wherein  I  saw 
the  city  lie  in  heaps,  and  the  gates  down ;  and  it  was  then 
represented  to  me,  just  as  I  saw  it  several  years  after,  lying 
in  heaps  when  it  was  burned."  He  had  frequently  warned 
the  people  and  their  rulers  of  "the  day  of  recompense  that 
was  coming  upon  them,"  but  they  rejecting  his  admonitions, 
he  now  was  moved  to  write  them  a  letter  to  remind  them  of 
the  prophecies  spoken  by  the  Lord's  servants,  which  were 
evidently  being  fulfilled. 

From  London  he  set  out  on  a  journey  to  the  western 
counties  of  England,  during  which  he  encountered  some 
opposition,  but  had  many  precious  meetings.  While  he  was 
in  Cornwall,  there  were  many  shipwrecks  about  the  Land's- 
End,  and  he  was  shocked  at  the  conduct  of  the  people,  in 
plundering  the  wrecks.  "It  was,"  he  says,  "the  custom  of 
that  country :  at  such  a  time  both  rich  and  poor  went  out  to 
get  as  much  of  the  wreck  as  they  could,  not  caring  to  save 
the  people's  lives ;  and  in  some  parts  of  the  country,  they 
called  shipwrecks  God's  grace.  It  grieved  my  spirit  to  hear 
of  such  unchristian  actions,  considering  how  far  they  were 
below  the  heathen  at  Melita,  who  received  Paul,  made  him  a 
fire,  and  were  courteous  towards  him,  and  those  that  suffered 
shipwreck  with  him.  Wherefore  I  was  moved  to  write  a 
paper,  and  send  it  to  all  the  parishes,  priests,  and  magistrates, 
to  reprove  them  for  such  greedy  actions,  and  to  warn  and 
exhort  them,  that  if  they  could  assist  to  save  people's  lives, 
and  preserve  their  ships  and  goods,  they  should  use  their  dili- 
gence therein ;  and  consider,  if  it  had  been  their  own  condi- 
tion, they  would  judge  it  hard,  if  they  should  be  upon  a  wreck, 
and  the  people  should  strive  to  get  what  they  could  from  them, 
and  not  regard  their  lives." 

"  This  paper  had  good  service  among  people :  and  Friends 
have  endeavoured  much  to  save  the  lives  of  men,  in  time  of 
wrecks,  and  to  preserve  the  ships  and  goods  for  them.  And 
when  some,  who  suffered  shipwreck,  have  been  almost  dead 
and  starved,  Friends  have  taken  them  to  their  houses  to  sue- 


HIS    SERMON    NEAR    BRISTOL.  217 

cour  and  recover  them,  which  is  an  act  to  be  practised  by  all 
true  Christians." 

During  this  journey,  he  came  to  the  city  of  Bristol,  and 
attended  a  meeting  in  the  orchard,  where  Friends  frequently 
met  for  Divine  worship.  On  this  occasion,  he  was  remark- 
ably preserved  from  the  intended  violence  of  a  drunken  sol- 
dier, who  came  near  him  with  a  drawn  sword,  having  bound 
himself  with  an  oath,  "to  cut  down  and  kill  the  man  that 
spoke."  This  preservation,  he  attributed  to  "  the  Lord's 
power  which  came  over  all,  and  chained  him  with  the  rest," 
so  that  they  had  a  blessed  meeting,  and  ascribed  the  praise 
to  the  Lord's  everlasting  power  and  presence. 

•He  also  attended  a  General  Meeting  at  Edward  Pyot's, 
near  Bristol,  "  at  which  it  was  judged,  there  were  some  thou- 
sands of  people.  Of  this  meeting,  he  says  in  his  Journal, 
"  It  was  very  quiet,  and  many  glorious  truths  were  opened  to 
the  people,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  set  up,  who  is  the 
end  of  all  figures  and  shadows  of  the  law,  and  the  first  cove- 
nant." .  .  .  .  "  Christ  saith  to  his  disciples,  '  Be  ye  perfect 
even  as  your  Heavenly  Father  is  perfect :'  and  he,  who  him- 
self was  perfect,  comes  to  make  man  and  woman  perfect 
again,  and  brings  them  again  to  the  state  which  God  made 
them  in.  So  he  is  the  maker  up  of  the  breach,  and  the 
peace  betwixt  God  and  man. 

"  That  this  might  the  better  be  understood,  by  the  lowest  ca- 
pacities, I  used  a  comparison  of  two  old  people,  who  had  their 
house  broken  down  by  an  enemy,  so  that  they,  with  all  their 
children,  -were  liable  to  all  storms  and  tempests.  And  there 
came  some  to  them,  that  pretended  to  be  workmen,  and  offered 
to  build  up  their  house  again,  if  they  would  give  them  so 
much  a  year ;  but  when  they  had  got  their  money,  they  left 
their  house  as  they  found  it.  After  this  manner  came  a 
second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth,  each  with  his  several 
pretence,  to  build  up  the  old  house,  and  each  got  the  people's 
money,  and  then  cried,  '  They  could  not  rear  up  the  house, 


218  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  breach  could  not  be  made  up ;  for  there  is  no  perfection 
here."  They  tell  them,  the  house  can  never  be  perfectly 
built  up  again  in  this  life,  though  they  have  taken  the  people's 
money  for  doing  it.  For  all  the  sect-masters  in  Christendom 
(so  called)  have  pretended  to  build  up  Adam's  and  Eve's  fallen 
house,  and  when  they  have  got  people's  money,  tell  them  the 
work  cannot  be  perfectly  done  here ;  so  their  house  lies  as  it  did. 
But  I  told  the  people,  Christ  was  come  to  do  it  freely,  who  by 
one  offering,  hath  perfected  forever  all  them  that  are  sancti- 
fied, and  renews  them  up  into  the  image  of  God  which  man 
and  woman  were  in  before  they  fell,  and  makes  man's  and 
woman's  house  as  perfect  again  as  God  made  them  at  the 
first ;  and  this  Christ,  the  Heavenly  Man,  doth  freely.  There- 
fore, all  are  to  look  unto  him,  and  all  that  have  received  him 
are  to  walk  in  him,  the  Life,  the  Substance,  the  First,  and  the 
Last;  the  Rock  of  Ages,  the  Foundation  of  many  genera- 
tions." 


35 


RESTORATION    OF   CHARLES   II.  219 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Restoration  and  promises  of  Charles  II. — Wickedness  in  London — 
Letter  of  R.  Hubberthorn — George  Fox  attends  general  meetings  at 
Balby  and  Skipton — He  is  arrested  at  Swarthmore  and  committed  to 
Lancaster  jail — M.  Fell  applies  to  the  King — George  Fox's  letter  to 
the  King — Book  called  the  "  Battledoor" — George  Fox's  examination 
in  London — Released  by  the  King's  order — Seven  hundred  Friends 
released  from  prison — Fifth-monarchy  insurrection — Persecution  of 
Friends — Four  thousand  in  prison — Declaration  presented  to  the 
King — He  orders  the  liberation  of  Friends — Execution  of  the  Regi- 
cides— George  Fox  and  the  Jesuits — Account  of  the  martyrdom  of 
Friends  in  Boston — Deputies  of  Massachusetts  in  London — Their 
interview  with  George  Fox — Union  of  Church  and  State  in  Massa- 
chusetts the  cause  of  persecution. 

1660-1. 

IN  the  year  1660,  Charles  II.  was  recalled  from  exile,  and 
placed  on  the  throne  of  his  ancestors ;  which  was  effected  by 
general  consent,  and  without  the  effusion  of  blood.  The 
nation  being  wearied  with  successive  revolutions,  and  anxious 
for  repose,  welcomed  with  joyful  acclamations  the  returning 
monarch,  and  fondly  hoped  that  the  evils  of  anarchy  were 
about  to  be  succeeded  by  the  blessings  of  order  and  of  law. 

Prior  to  his  embarkation  for  England,  the  King  had  issued 
from  Breda  a  declaration,  addressed  to  the  British  people,  in 
which  he  promised  "  liberty  to  tender  consciences,  and  that  no 
man  should  be  disquieted  or  called  in  question  for  differences  of 
opinion  in  matters  of  religion,  which  do  not  disturb  the  peace 
of  the  kingdom."  *  This  promise  had  given  to  the  Friends, 
who  were  suffering  under  persecution,  reason  to  hope  that 
their  burdens  would  be  lightened  and  their  liberties  secured. 
These  pleasing  anticipations  were  not  realized,  for  how  much 
soever  the  king  may  have  been  inclined  by  the  lenity  of  his 
temper  to  discourage  persecution,  his  good  intentions  were 

*  Sewel,  I.  300. 


220  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

frustrated  by  his  fondness  for  pleasure,  and  aversion  to  busi- 
ness. The  nation  was  not  yet  prepared  to  tolerate  a  people 
whose  principles  and  practice  were  alike  repugnant  to  the 
licentious  populace  and  to  the  rigid  professors  of  a  ceremonial 
religion.  To  the  former  they  were  obnoxious  by  their  stern 
opposition  to  all  immorality, — to  the  latter  by  their  uncom- 
promising testimony  against  a  mercenary  priesthood. 

The  state  of  society  in  London  at  the  time  of  the  restora- 
tion is  thus  described  by  a  contemporary  writer :  "  The  roar- 
ing, swearing,  drinking,  revelling,  debauchery,  and  extrava- 
gance of  that  time  I  cannot  forget,  with  the  menacing  and 
threats  of  the  rabble  against  all  sobriety,  and  against  religious 
people  and  their  meetings,  which  they  expected  should  be  now 
totally  suppressed  and  brought  to  nothing."  * 

There  is  still  extant  a  letter  from  Richard  Hubberthorn  to 
George  Fox,  dated  29th  of  3d  month,  (May,)  1660,  being  the 
day  of  the  king's  arrival  in  the  metropolis,  from  which  the 
following  passages  are  selected  :  f  "The  wickedness  in  this 
city  is  so  great,  that  it  is  past  expression,  and  everywhere  in 
the  nation  it  abounds  as  a  flood ;  and  Friends  everywhere 
pass  in  the  hazard  of  their  lives  and  of  great  sufferings."  .  . 
.  "  It  is  only  the  power  of  the  Lord  God  that  pre- 
serves us  here  in  this  city  from  the  rage  of  the  wicked,  which 
is  very  high.  At  our  meeting  this  day  at  Westminister,  in 
the  morning,  the  people  were  very  rude,  and  had  almost 
broken  the  meeting ;  but  afterwards  some  soldiers  came,  and 
did  quiet  the  rude  people,  and  set  a  guard  at  the  door ;  and 
so  the  meeting  was  kept  quiet,  and  ended  quiet.  This  day, 
King  Charles  and  his  two  brethren,  James  and  Henry,  came 
into  the  city.  Charles  is  of  a  pretty  sober  countenance, 
but  the  great  pride  and  vanity  of  those  that  brought  him  in, 
is  inexpressible ;  and  he  is  in  danger  to  be  brought  (or 
wrought)  to  those  things  which  he  in  himself  is  not  inclined 

*  Mem.  of  W.  Crouch,  chap.  III. 

f  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  349. 


GENERAL   MEETING  AT   BALBY.  221 

unto.    The  great  excess  and  abomination  that  hath  been  used 
this  day,  in  this  city,  is  inexpressible. 

"  I  know  not  as  yet  when  I  shall  come  from  this  city ;  for 

the  service  is  very  great. ' 

RICHARD  HUBBERTHORN."* 

George  Fox,  after  visiting  his  relatives  at  Drayton,  in  the 
early  part  of  this  year,  proceeded  on  his  travels  in  the  gospel 
ministry,  and  attended  the  General  Meeting  of  Friends  at 
Balby,  in  Yorkshire,  which  was  held  in  a  great  orchard,  at 
John  Killam's,  several  thousands  of  persons  being  assembled. 
He  had  heard  that  a  troop  of  horse  from  York,  with  the 
neighbouring  militia,  were  to  be  sent  to  break  up  the  meeting, 
but  he  went  in,  and  stood  upon  a  stool  to  preach.  After  he 
had  spoken  some  time,  two  trumpeters  came  near  him,  sound- 
ing their  trumpets,  and  the  captain  of  the  troop  cried  aloud, 
"Divide  to  the  right  and  left,  and  make  way."  Then  he 
rode  up  to  George,  and  said  to  him,  "  Come  down,  for  I  am 
come  to  disperse  the  meeting." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "It  is  known  to  all  that  we  are  a  peaceable 
people;  we  are  used  to  having  such  meetings,  but  if  thou 
apprehends  we  are  met  in  a  hostile  way,  I  desire  thee  to 
search  among  us,  and  if  any  be  found  in  possession  of  SAVord 
or  pistol,  let  such  suffer." 

CAPTAIN.  "  I  must  see  you  dispersed,  for  I  have  come  all 
night  on  purpose  to  disperse  you." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  What  honour  will  it  be  to  thee  to  ride 
with  swords  and  pistols  amongst  so  many  unarmed  men  and 
women  ?  If  thou  wilt  be  still  and  quiet,  the  meeting  will 
probably  not  continue  above  two  or  three  hours ;  as  we  came 
peaceably  together,  so  we  shall  part,  for  thou  mayest  perceive 
the  meeting  is  so  large  that  all  the  country  around  cannot 
entertain  them,  and  they  intend  to  depart  for  their  homes 
to-night." 

CAPTAIN.  "  I  cannot  stay  to  see  the  meeting  ended,  but 
must  disperse  it  before  I  go." 

*  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  XXXIII. 


222  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  If  thou  canst  not  stay,  I  desire  thee  to 
leave  a  dozen  of  thy  soldiers,  to  see  the  order  and  peaceable- 
ness  of  our  meeting." 

CAPTAIN.     "I  will  give  you  an  hour's  time." 

Then  leaving  half-a-dozen  of  his  soldiers,  he  withdrew  with 
his  troop.  The  soldiers  who  remained,  being  hospitably  en- 
tertained by  the  Friends,  told  them  "  They  might  stay  till 
night  if  they  would ;"  and  so  far  were  these  troopers  from 
disturbing  the  meeting,  that  they  were  rather  assistant  to 
Friends,  by  preventing  the  militia  from  doing  the  mischief 
they  intended. 

"  We  stayed,"  writes  George  Fox,  "  about  three  hours  after, 
and  had  a  glorious,  powerful  meeting ;  for  the  presence  of  the 
living  God  was  manifest  amongst  us,  and  the  seed  Christ  was 
set  over  all.  Friends  were  built  upon  him,  the  foundation, 
and  settled  under  his  glorious  heavenly  teaching.  After 
meeting,  Friends  passed  away  in  peace,  greatly  refreshed  with 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  filled  with  joy  and  gladness, 
that  the  Lord's  power  had  given  them  such  dominion."  .  .  . 
"  Yet  this  captain  was  a  desperate  man ;  for  it  was  he  that 
said  to  me  in  Scotland,  '  He  would  obey  his  superior's  com- 
mands ;  if  it  was  to  crucify  Christ,  he  would  do  it,  or  execute 
the  Great  Turk's  commands  against  the  Christians,  if  he  was 
under  him.'  So  that  it  was  the  eminent  power  of  the  Lord 
that  chained  both  him  and  his  troopers,  and  those  envious 
militia  soldiers  also,  who  went  away,  not  having  power  to  hurt 
any  of  us,  nor  to  break  up  our  meeting." 

Soon  after,  he  was  present  at  another  General  Meeting,  held 
at  Skipton,  where  Friends  from  most  parts  of  the  nation  were 
convened  for  the  transaction  of  business  relating  to  the  church 
both  in  England  and  beyond  the  seas.* 

He  also  attended  a  General  Meeting  of  Friends  at  Arnside, 
for  the  counties  of  Westmoreland,  Cumberland,  and  Lan- 
cashire ;  after  which,  accompanied  by  Francis  Howgill  and 
Thomas  Curtis,  he  proceeded  to  Swarthmore-hall.  While 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Discipline — Charity,  &c. 


BROUGHT   BEFORE   MAJOR   PORTER.  223 

here,  he  was  arrested  under  a  warrant  from  Henry  Porter, 
formerly  a  major  in  Cromwell's  army,  but  now  a  justice  under 
King  Charles.  Being  taken  to  the  constable's  house,  he  was 
guarded  there  by  fifteen  or  sixteen  men,  "  some  of  whom,"  he 
says,  "  sat  in  the  chimney,  for  fear  he  should  go  up  it ;  such 
dark  imaginations  possessed  them.  One  of  them  said,  he  did 
not  think  a  thousand  men  could  have  taken  him." 

After  suffering  much  abuse,  he  was  brought  before  Major 
Porter,  at  Lancaster,  who  asked  him  why  he  came  into  the 
country  in  that  troublesome  time  ?  He  answered,  "  Our 
meetings  are  known  throughout  the  nation  to  be  peaceable, 
and  we  are  a  peaceable  people."  He  was  then  committed  to 
the  "  Darkhouse"  in  Lancaster  castle,  to  be  kept  a  close  pris- 
oner until  he  should  be  delivered  by  the  King  or  Parliament, 
and  he  was  refused  a  copy  of  the  mittimus  which  he  requested. 
Two  of  his  friends  being  permitted  to  read  it,  informed  him 
that  he  was  charged  with  being  "  a  person  generally  suspected 
to  be  a  common  disturber  of  the  peace  of  the  nation,  an 
enemy  to  the  king,  and  a  chief  upholder  of  the  Quaker  sect ; 
and  that  he,  with  others,  had  endeavoured  to  raise  insurrec- 
tions, and  Embroil  the  whole  country  in  blood."  These  false 
accusations  he  answered  by  a  public  declaration,  in  which  the 
following  passage  occurs :  "  It  is  much  that  he  should  say 
I  am  an  enemy  to  the  king,  for  I  have  no  reason  so  to  be,  he 
having  done  nothing  against  me.  But  I  have  been  often  impris- 
oned and  persecuted  these  eleven  or  twelve  years  by  those  that 
have  been  both  against  the  king  and  his  father,  even  the  party 
that  Porter  was  made  a  major  by  and  bore  arms  for ;  but  not 
by  them  that  were  for  the  king.  I  was  never  an  enemy  to 
the  king,  nor  to  any  man's  person  upon  earth." 

In  order  to  lay  before  the  king  this  harsh  treatment  and 
unjust  imprisonment,  Margaret  Fell  went  to  London.  She 
was  accompanied  in  this  work  of  mercy  by  Ann  Curtis,  whose 
father,  a  distinguished  royalist,  was  hanged  near  his  own  door 
for  endeavouring  to  effect  the  king's  restoration.  They  were 
kindly  received  at  Court,  and  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was 


224  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

issued  to  bring  him  before  the  judges  in  London.  After  many  de- 
lays, the  writ  was  served  upon  the  sheriff,  who  required  George 
Fox  to  enter  into  a  bond  to  pay  the  expense  of  his  removal, 
which  he  refusing  to  do,  was  left  in  prison  some  time  longer. 
While  thus  imprisoned,  he  gave  forth  the  following  paper : 

"  True  religion  is  the  true  rule  and  right  way  of  serving 
God.  And  religion  is  a  pure  stream  of  righteousness  flowing 
from  the  image  of  God,  and  is  the  life  and  power  of  God 
planted  in  the  heart  and  mind  by  the  law  of  life,  which  bring- 
eth  the  soul,  mind,  spirit,  and  body  to  be  conformable  to  God, 
the  Father  of  spirits,  and  to  Christ;  so  that  they  come  to 
have  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  with  all  his 
holy  angels  and  saints.  This  religion  is  pure  from  above,  un- 
defiled  before  God,  leads  to  visit  the  fatherless,  widows,  and 
strangers,  and  keeps  from  the  spots  of  the  world.  This  reli- 
gion is  above  all  the  defiled,  spotted  religions  in  the  world, 
that  keep  not  from  defilements  and  spots,  but  leave  their  pro- 
fessors impure ;  .  .  .  whose  fatherless,  widows,  and  strangers 
beg  up  and  down  the  streets." 

He  also  addressed  a  letter  to  the  King : 

"  KING  CHARLES  : — Thou  earnest  not  into  this  nation  by 
sword,  nor  by  victory  of  war,  but  by  the  power  of  the  Lord. 
Now,  if  thou  dost  not  live  in  it,  thou  wilt  not  prosper.  If  the 
Lord  hath  showed  thee  mercy,  and  forgiven  thee,  and  thou 
dost  not  show  mercy  and  forgive,  God  will  not  hear  thy 
prayers,  nor  them  that  pray  for  thee.  If  thou  dost  not  stop 
persecution  and  persecutors,  and  take  away  all  laws  that  hold 
up  persecution  about  religion ;  if  thou  persist  in  them,  and 
uphold  persecution,  that  will  make  thee  as  blind  as  those  that 
have  gone  before  thee ;  for  persecution  hath  always  blinded 
those  that  have  gone  into  it.  Such  God,  by  his  power,  over- 
throws, doth  his  valiant  acts  upon,  and  bringeth  salvation  to 
his  oppressed  ones.  If  thou  bear  the  sword  in  vain,  and  let 
drunkenness,  oaths,  plays,  May-games,  with  such  like  abomi- 
nations and  vanities,  be  encouraged,  or  go  unpunished,  as 
setting  up  of  May-poles,  with  the  image  of  the  crown  atop  of 


THE   BATTLEDOOR.  225 

them,  &c.,  the  nation  will  quickly  turn  like  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah, and  be  as  bad  as  the  old  world,  who  grieved  the  Lord 
till  he  overthrew  them ;  and  so  he  will  you,  if  these  things  be 
not  suppressed.  Hardly  was  there  so  much  wickedness  at 
liberty  before  as  there  is  at  this  day,  as  though  there  was  no 
terror  nor  sword  of  magistracy ;  which  doth  not  grace  a 
government,  nor  is  a  praise  to  them  that  do  well.  Our  prayers 
are  for  them  that  are  in  authority,  that  under  them  we  may 
live  a  godly  life,  in  which  we  may  have  peace,  and  that  we 
may  not  be  brought  into  ungodliness  by  them.  Hear  and 
consider,  and  do  good  in  thy  time,  whilst  thou  hast  power ; 
be  merciful  and  forgive ;  that  is  the  way  to  overcome  and 
obtain  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

During  his  imprisonment  at  Lancaster  castle,  a  book,  enti- 
tled the  "Battledoor,"  was  published,  which  was  written  at 
his  instance  by  John  Stubbs  and  Benjamin  Furley.  In  this 
work  examples  were  introduced  from  about  thirty  languages, 
ancient  and  modern,  "  to  show  that  every  language  had  its 
peculiar  denomination  for  the  singular  and  plural  number  in 
speaking  to  persons,  and  in  every  place  where  the  description 
began,  the  shape  of  a  battledoor  was  delineated." 

The  learning  displayed  in  this  book,  and  the  odd  appear- 
ance of  its  pages,  marked  with  black  lines  in  the  shape  of  a 
battledoor,  attracted  considerable  attention.  Copies  of  it 
were  presented  to  the  king  and  his  counsel,  to  the  bishops  of 
Canterbury  and  London,  and  to  the  two  Universities.  It  was 
intended  to  prove  that  the  use  of  tliee  and  thou  to  a  single 
person  was  the  ancient  and  proper  mode  of  address  among  all 
people  until  language  was  corrupted  in  order  to  flatter  human 
pride.  The  king  acknowledged  that  "  it  was  the  proper  lan- 
guage of  all  nations,"  and  it  was  thought  the  publication  had 
some  influence  in  reconciling  reflecting  minds  to  the  peculiar 
address  of  Friends. 

At  length,  the  sheriff  of  Lancaster,  finding  George  Fox 
would  not  yield  to  his  demands,  and  being  unwilling  to  incur 
15 


226  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  expense  of  guarding  him  to  London,  suffered  him  to  go 
up  with  one  or  two  of  his  friends,  on  his  giving  his  word  "  to 
appear  before  the  judges  at  such  a  day  of  the  term,  if  the 
Lord  would  permit." 

He  accordingly  went  thither,  visiting  his  friends  by  the 
way,  and  holding  religious  meetings,  until  the  time  appointed. 
On  presenting  himself  before  the  judges  and  delivering  his 
mittimus,  the  charge  against  him  was  read  in  open  court. 
"  The  people,"  he  says,  "  were  moderate,  and  the  judges  cool 
and  loving  ;  and  the  Lord's  mercy  was  to  them.  But  when 
they  came  to  that  part  of  it  which  said  '  that  I  and  my  friends 
were  embroiling  the  nation  in  blood  and  raising  a  new  war, 
and  that  I  was  an  enemy  to  the  king,'  &c.,  they  lifted  up  their 
hands.  Then,  stretching  out  my  arms,  I  said,  '  I  am  the  man 
whom  that  charge  is  against,  but  I  am  as  innocent  as  a  child 
concerning  the  charge,  and  have  never  learned  any  war  pos- 
tures. And,'  said  I,  '  do  ye  think  that  if  I  and  my  friends  were 
such  men  as  the  charge  declares,  that  I  should  have  brought  it 
up  myself  against  myself?  Or  that  I  should  be  suffered  to 
come  up  with  one  or  two  of  my  friends  with  me  ?  Had  I  been 
such  a  man  as  this  charge  sets  forth,  I  had  need  to  have  been 
guarded  up  with  a  troop  or  two  of  horse.  But  the  sheriff  and 
magistrates  of  Lancashire  thought  fit  to  let  me  and  my  friends 
come  up  with  it  ourselves,  almost  two  hundred  miles,  without 
any  guard  at  all ;  which  you  may  be  sure  they  would  not  have 
done  if  they  had  looked  upon  me  to  be  such  a  man.'  .  .  . 
Then  stood  up  'Squire  Marsh,  and  told  the  judges  'it  was  the 
king's  pleasure  that  I  should  be  set  at  liberty,  seeing  no 
accuser  came  up  against  me.' ' 

"  They  asked  me,  'Whether  I  would  put  it  to  the  king  and 
council?'  I  said  'Yes,  with  a  good  will.'  Thereupon  they 
sent  the  sheriff's  return,  which  he  made  to  the  writ  of  Habeas 
Corpus,  containing  the  matter  charged  against  me  in  the 
mittimus,  to  the  king,  that  he  might  see  for  what  I  was  com- 
mitted."   "  Upon  perusal  of  this,  and  consideration 

of  the  whole  matter,  the  king,  being  satisfied  of  my  innocency, 


THE   FIFTH-MONARCHY   MEN.  227 

commanded  his  secretary  to  send  an  order  to  judge  Mallet  for 

my  release." "Thus,  after  I  had  been  a  prisoner 

somewhat  more  than  twenty  weeks,  I  was  freely  set  at  liberty 
by  the  king's  command,  the  Lord's  power  having  wonderfully 
wrought  for  the  clearing  of  my  innocency,  and  Porter,  who 
committed  me,  not  daring  to  appear  to  make  good  the  charge 
he  had  falsely  suggested  against  me.  But  after  it  was  known 
I  was  discharged,  a  company  of  envious,  wicked  spirits  were 
troubled,  and  terror  took  hold  of  justice  Porter ;  for  he  was 
afraid  I  would  take  the  advantage  of  the  law  against  him  for 
my  wrong  imprisonment,  and  thereby  undo  him,  his  wife,  and 
children.  And  indeed  I  was  pressed  by  some  in  authority  to 
have  made  him  and  the  rest  examples,  but  I  said,  I  should 
leave  them  to  the  Lord ;  if  the  Lord  forgave  them,  I  should 
not  trouble  myself  with  them." 

Richard  Hubberthorn,  on  behalf  of  his  suffering  brethren, 
waited  on  the  king,  with  whom  he  had  a  long  conversation  on 
the  principles  of  Friends.  Charles  said  to  him,  "None  of 
you  shall  suffer  for  your  opinions  or  religion,  so  long  as  you 
live  peaceably,  and  you  have  the  word  of  a  king  for  it." 

At  the  restoration,  there  were  about  seven  hundred  Friends 
in  prison.  These  the  king  directed  to  be  released,  and  there 
was,  at  one  time,  a  prospect  of  measures  being  taken  by  the 
government  to  allow  them  the  free  exercise  of  their  worship ; 
but  at  this  juncture  an  insurrection  of  the  Fifth-monarchy 
men  occurred,  which  put  an  end  to  all  prospect  of  relief. 
These  deluded  fanatics,  in  number  about  sixty,  paraded  the 
streets  of  London  in  military  array,  proclaiming  the  reign  of 
King  Jesus,  who,  they  said,  was  their  invisible  leader.  Be- 
lieving themselves  invulnerable,  they  refused  to  submit  to  the 
civil  authorities,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  encounter  the  troops 
brought  to  subdue  them. 

The  insurrection  began  on  First-day  night,  when  the  drums 
beat,  and  the  cry  was  heard  through  the  city,  "Arm  !  arm !" 
George  Fox  arose  from  his  bed  early  in  the  morning,  and  re- 
paired immediately  to  the  palace  of  Whitehall;  which  he 


228  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

probably  did  to  inform  the  government  that  Friends  were  not 
concerned  in  the  plot.  From  thence  he  went  to  Pall-Mall, 
where  he  was  joined  by  a  number  of  Friends.  By  this  time, 
the  city  and  suburbs  were  up  in  arms,  and  the  populace  and 
soldiers  so  exceedingly  rude,  that  it  was  dangerous  to  walk  the 
streets.  The  Fifth-monarchy  men,  being  few  in  number,  were 
mostly  shot  down  by  the  troops ;  and  the  remainder,  being 
taken  prisoners,  were  tried,  condemned,  and  executed.  But 
great  disorder  and  much  alarm  prevailed  throughout  the  week, 
and  many  Friends  were  maltreated  or  taken  prisoners. 

On  Seventh-day  night,  a  company  of  troopers,  whose  leader 
had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Parliament  army,  rudely  seized  upon 
George  Fox ;  but  he  was  protected  by  "  Squire  Marsh,  who, 
though  an  attendant  of  the  king's  bed-chamber,  had  come  to 
Pall-Mall  purposely  to  lodge  with  him."  Next  morning,  a 
company  of  foot  came  and  guarded  him  to  Whitehall.  As  he 
went,  he  saw  the  Friends  going  to  their  meeting,  and  com- 
mended them  for  their  fidelity  in  this  time  of  danger.  At 
White-hall,  he  preached  to  the  crowds  in  attendance,  and  was 
then  placed  in  confinement  two  or  three  hours ;  from  which 
he  was  liberated  through  the  influence  and  exertions  of  his 
friend  Marsh. 

Throughout  the  city  and  country,  great  havoc  prevailed,  so 
that  it  was  dangerous  to  stir  abroad  for  several  weeks.  Some 
thousands  of  Friends  were  cast  into  prison,  and  Margaret 
Fell  carried  an  account  of  them  before  the  king  and  council. 
At  one  time  during  this  year,  no  less  than  4230  Friends  were 
confined  in  the  jails  and  castles  of  the  kingdom.  Under  a 
deep  sense  of  "their  grievous  sufferings,  and  of  their  inno- 
cency  towards  God  and  man,"  George  Fox  and  another  Friend 
drew  up  a  Declaration  against  plots  and  fighting,  which  was 
presented  to  the  king  the  21st  of  the  llth  month,  1660.* 

This  declaration  had  a  salutary  effect,  and  those  of  the 
Fifth-monarchy  men  who  were  executed  having  openly  de- 
clared that  the  Friends  "had  no  hand  in,  or  knowledge  of 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Testimonies  —  War. 


ANOTHER   DISCOURSE   WITH   JESUITS.  229 

their  plot,"  the  public  became  generally  convinced  of  their 
innocence. 

At  length  the  king,  being  importuned  by  Margaret  Fell  and 
others,  issued  a  declaration,  "  That  Friends  should  be  set  at 
liberty  without  paying  fees." 

About  this  time,  the  trial  and  execution  of  the  judges  of 
the  late  king,  and  of  others  concerned  in  his  death,  excited 
deep  interest  throughout  the  nation ;  but  so  great  had  been 
the  change  in  public  sentiment,  that  little  sympathy  was 
evinced  for  the  sufferers.  Concerning  these  sanguinary  pro- 
ceedings, George  Fox  remarks,  "  This  was  sad  work,  destroy- 
ing people  contrary  to  the  nature  of  Christians,  who  have  the 
nature  of  lambs  and  sheep.  But  there  was  a  secret  hand  in 
bringing  this  day  upon  that  hypocritical  generation  of  pro- 
fessors, who,  being  got  into  power,  grew  proud,  haughty,  and 
cruel  beyond  others,  and  persecuted  the  people  of  God  with- 
out pity." 

On  the  restoration  of  the  royal  family,  many  Jesuits  had 
come  over  in  the  suite  of  James,  Duke  of  York,  who  was  an 
avowed  papist.  These  priests  began  to  fawn  upon  the  Friends, 
saying,  "  They  were  the  best  and  most  self-denying  people, 
and  it  was  a  great  pity  they  did  not  return  to  the  holy  mother 
church."  Friends  were,  generally,  averse  to  having  any  in- 
tercourse with  them ;  but  George  Fox  proposed  to  discourse 
with  some  of  them,  and  "two  who  looked  like  courtiers," 
agreed  to  meet  him.  The  points  discussed,  and  the  result  of 
their  controversy,  were  nearly  the  same  as  already  related  of 
his  previous  interview  with  one  of  their  order.  It  was  said 
they  afterwards  gave  a  charge  to  the  Papists,  "  Not  to  dispute 
with  the  Quakers,  nor  to  read  any  of  their  books." 

In  the  summer  of  1661,  intelligence  was  received  in  Eng- 
land, that  William  Leddra  had  recently  been  put  to  death  in 
Boston.  He  was  the  last  of  the  four  Friends  who,  within  a 
few  years,  had  been  executed  there  on  account  of  their  reli- 
gious testimonies ;  the  others  were  William  Robinson,  Marma- 
duke  Stevenson,  and  Mary  Dyer,  all  of  whom  had  suffered 


230  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

martyrdom  with  Christian  meekness  and  unwavering  confidence 
in  their  holy  Redeemer.  Information  being  also  received  that 
other  Friends  were  imprisoned  there  for  the  same  cause,  Ed- 
ward Burrough  waited  on  the  king,  who  forthwith  issued  a 
mandamus  to  arrest  these  cruel  proceedings.  A  Friend  named 
Samuel  Shattuck,  who,  on  account  of  his  religion,  had  been 
banished  from  New-England,  and  forbidden  to  return,  under 
pain  of  death,  was,  by  the  king's  order,  made  the  bearer  of 
the  mandamus,  and  the  Friends  of  London  immediately 
despatched  a  ship,  commanded  by  one  of  their  members, 
purposely  to  convey  him  thither.  In  six  weeks  he  arrived  at 
the  port  of  Boston,  and  was  the  means  of  liberating  his  im- 
prisoned brethren,  one  of  whom  had  been  placed  in  irons,  to 
await  his  execution. 

The  governor  and  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  being 
apprehensive  of  the  king's  displeasure,  on  account  of  their 
inhuman  proceedings,  despatched  a  messenger  with  a  letter  to 
inform  him  that  they  had  complied  with  his  mandamus,  and 
liberated  the  Friends.  Subsequently  they  sent  a  deputation 
to  palliate  or  apologize  for  their  conduct,  and  to  promote  the 
interests  of  the  colony.  The  persons  chosen  for  this  embassy 
were  John  Norton,  a  clergyman  of  Boston,  and  Simon 
Broadstreet,  both  of  whom  had  been  concerned  in  those 
sanguinary  measures. 

George  Fox  and  other  Friends,  had  several  interviews  with 
these  deputies,  and  charged  them  with  being  accessary  to 
the  murder  of  their  Friends.  Norton  denied  all  participation 
in  it :  but  this  departure  from  veracity  failed  to  screen  him, 
for  Jobn  Copeland,  who  had  had  an  ear  cut  off  by  them,  being 
in  London,  came  forward  and  confronted  him  with  a  state- 
ment of  the  facts.  Broadstreet,  it  appears,  was  less  intimi- 
dated, or  more  truthful.  On  being  asked  by  George  Fox, 
"Whether  he  had  a  hand  in  putting  to  death  those  four  ser- 
vants of  God,  whom  they  hanged  for  being  Quakers?"  he 
confessed  he  had.  George  then  inquired  of  him  and  his  asso- 
ciates, whether  they  would  acknowledge  themselves  to  be 


NEW  ENGLAND  DEPUTIES  IN  ENGLAND.       231 

subject  to  the  laws  of  England  ?  And  if  they  did,  by  what 
law  they  had  put  those  Friends  to  death?  They  replied, 
"  They  were  subject  to  the  laws  of  England,  and  they  had  put 
the  Friends  to  death  by  the  same  law,  as  the  Jesuits  were  put 
to  death  in  England." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Do  you  believe,  those  Friends  whom  you 
put  to  death  were  Jesuits,  or  jesuitically  inclined?" 

DEPUTIES.     "No." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Then  you  have  murdered  them.  If  you 
put  them  to  death,  by  the  law  that  Jesuits  are  put  to  death 
here  in  England,  and  yet  confess  they  were  no  Jesuits;  it 
plainly  appears,  you  have  put  them  to  death  in  your  own 
wills,  without  any  law." 

BROADSTREET.     "Do  you  come  to  catch  us?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "You  have  caught  yourselves,  and  may 
justly  be  questioned  for  your  lives.  If  the  father  of  William 
Robinson  were  in  town,  he  would  probably  question  you,  and 
bring  your  lives  in  jeopardy." 

The  deputies,  being  alarmed,  began  to  excuse  themselves, 
saying,  "  There  was  no  persecution  now  amongst  them."  The 
next  morning,  however,  the  Friends  received  letters  from  New 
England,  informing  them  of  renewed  persecutions,  where- 
upon they  went  to  the  deputies,  and  laid  the  facts  before 
them,  which  covered  them  with  shame  and  mortification. 
Some  of  the  old  royalists,  having  no  good  will  for  the  Puri- 
tans, earnestly  desired  the  Friends  to  prosecute  the  New 
England  deputies ;  but  George  Fox  and  his  friends  said, 
"  They  left  them  to  the  Lord,  to  whom  vengeance  belonged, 
and  he  would  repay  it."* 

The  father  of  William  Leddra,  who  was  not  a  Friend, 
being  unwilling  to  let  the  murder  of  his  son  pass  without  re- 
tribution, came  to  London  to  institute  an  inquiry,  and  to  in- 
terrogate the  deputies  respecting  it.  Norton  and  Broadstreet, 
being  alarmed  at  the  prospect  before  them,  made  a  timely 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  I.  435,  and  Sewel's  Hist.  I.  385. 


282,  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

retreat  and  returned  to  New  England,  where  they  met  with 
a  cool  reception.* 

The  persecution  of  Friends  in  Massachusetts,  about  the 
middle  of  the  17th  century,  is  a  subject  that  must  be  familiar 
to  most  readers,  and  needs  but  little  comment  here,  especially 
as  at  this  time  there  is  no  community  in  Christendom,  by  whom 
the  principles  of  religious  liberty  are  more  highly  prized  or 
more  fully  sustained,  than  by  the  descendants  of  the  pilgrims. 
It  may,  however,  be  useful  to  the  present  generation,  that  the 
causes  which  led  to  that  awful  tragedy  should  be  examined 
and  remembered. 

The  true  principles  of  religious  and  civil  liberty  were  not 
understood  by  the  pilgrims.  They  were  under  the  influence 
of  ecclesiastical  domination,  and  they  laid  the  foundation  of 
their  political  edifice  on  an  unsound  basis,  when  they  deter- 
mined on  a  union  of  church  and  state.  Soon  after  the  foun- 
dation of  the  colony,  a  law  was  promulgated  that  "  no  man 
should  be  admitted  a  freeman  who  was  not  a  church-member."  f 
"  It  was  necessary  for  the  minister  to  certify  that  the  candi- 
dates for  freedom  were  of  orthodox  principles  as  well  as  of 
good  lives,"|  and  indeed  it  is  conceded  by  one  of  their  eulo- 
gists, "that  church  and  state  were  very  curiously  and  effi- 
ciently interwoven  with  each  other.  "§ 

In  the  year  1676,  "  five-sixths  of  the  colonists  were  in  fact 
disfranchised  by  the  influence  of  the  ecclesiastical  power."  || 
The  Puritan  clergy  then  in  power,  who  were  of  the  Inde- 
pendent sect,  were  so  far  from  acknowledging  the  inherent 
right  of  all  men  to  judge  for  themselves  in  matters  of  religion, 
that  they  did  not  admit  toleration  itself  to  be  a  Christian  duty. 
"  They  re-enacted  the  worst  statute  of  the  English  code,that  of 
enforcing  attendance  on  the  parish  church."  A  fine  was  im- 

*  Bowden's  History  of  Friends  in  America,  p.  243. 

t  Tyson's  Dis.  on  Colonial  Hist.  Mem.  Hist.  Soc.  of  Pa.  IV.  19. 

t  Note  in  Hutchinson's  Hist.  Mass.  I.  31,  quoted  by  Tyson. 

2  Address  of  President  Quincy. 

||  Story's  Dis.  p.  55,  quoted  by  Tyson. 


PERSECUTION  IN    NEW    ENGLAND.  233 

posed  for  non-attendance,  and  a  general  tax  was  assessed  to 
support  their  ministry.*  Many  of  their  sermons,  and  other 
religious  publications,  breathe  a  spirit  of  intolerance  that  has 
seldom  been  surpassed.  Indeed,  "  they  denounce  the  idea  of 
religious  liberty  as  the  offspring  of  delusion,  or  the  specious 
plea  of  infidelity,  "f 

Within  one  year  from  the  first  settlement  of  Massachusetts 
Bay,  two  respectable  colonists  were  sent  back  to  England  by 
Governor  Endicott,  because  they  would  not  renounce  the 
liturgy  of  the  Episcopal  church ;  and  subsequently  the  banish- 
ment of  Anne  Hutchinson  and  Roger  Williams  manifested  the 
same  intolerant  spirit.  The  first  Friends  who  arrived  on  a 
religious  mission,  were  Mary  Fisher  and  Anne  Austin,  in  the 
year  1656 ;  who,  before  they  landed,  were  arrested  on  board 
the  vessel,  and  taken  directly  to  Boston  jail,  where  they  re- 
mained until  banished  by  the  colonial  authorities.  J  Thus  we 
see  that  their  banishment  could  not  have  been  the  consequence 
of  any  disturbance  they  created,  but  was  in  strict  accordance 
with  a  system  of  policy  coeval  with  the  government. 

The  Friends  who  afterwards  came,  were  first  banished,  and 
then,  on  their  return,  severely  whipped ;  and  finally,  four  of 
them  were  hung.  It  has  been  said  that  they  interrupted  the 
public  worship,  and  reviled  the  magistrates  and  ministers. 
This  charge  is  probably  without  foundation ;  for  although 
some  of  them  felt  it  their  duty  in  New  England,  as  well  as  in 
the  mother  country,  to  speak  in  places  of  public  worship,  we 
do  not  find  that  they  addressed  the  congregation  until  the 
minister  had  ended,  and  they  were  stopped,  violently  assailed, 
and  dragged  to  prison. §  It  is  altogether  probable  that  they 
preached  some  unpalatable  truths  to  the  ministers  and  magis- 
trates of  Boston,  reproving  them  for  their  persecuting  laws, 
their  spiritual  pride,  and  dead  formality.  Such  preaching  was 
needed,  and  the  ministry  and  sufferings  of  those  devoted  fol- 
lowers of  the  Lamb,  were  instrumental  in  planting  the  seeds 

*  Tyson's  Discourse,  and  Bancroft's  U.  S.         f  Tyson. 

J  Bowden's  Hist.  244.  \  Tyson's  Discourse. 


234  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

of  true  spiritual  religion  in  many  hearts,  which  afterwards 
produced  a  rich  harvest,  to  the  glory  of  the  great  Husband- 
man. 

In  this  brief  review  we  have  seen,  in  the  early  history  of 
Massachusetts,  the  same  disastrous  results  that  have  always 
attended  the  union  of  church  and  state.  It  led  to  the  impo- 
sition of  civil  disabilities  on  all  dissenting  sects ;  it  secured 
the  predominance  of  the  ecclesiastical  power ;  and  it  produced 
the  most  unrelenting  persecution  of  all  who  would  not  bow  to 
the  mandates  of  a  self-righteous,  bigoted  clergy. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Preaching  of  Friends  in  foreign  lands — Funds  raised — George  Fox  pro- 
poses a  colony  in  America —  Letter  of  Josiah  Cole  —  George  Fox's 
conversation  with  a  Papist — Marriages  of  Friends — Their  sufferings 
— Address  to  the  king — George  Fox  the  younger — Letter  of  T.  Sherman 
to  George  Fox  —  Travels  of  George  Fox  in  the  country  —  Seized  by 
Lord  Beaumont,  and  sent  to  Leicester  jail  —  His  trial  and  liberation 
—  Death  of  Edward  Burrough  and  Richard  Hubberthorn  —  Travels 
of  George  Fox. 

1661-3. 

THE  doctrines  of  Friends  had  now  been  widely  dissemi- 
nated, and  embraced  by  many  in  England,  Scotland,  Wales, 
Ireland,  and  the  British  American  provinces.  But  the  mes- 
sengers of  the  gospel  of  peace  did  not  confine  their  labours 
to  the  British  dominions.  William  Ames  and  William  Caton 
had  made  proselytes  in  Holland  and  Germany;  Samuel 
Fisher  and  John  Stubbs  had  preached  and  distributed  books 
in  Rome ;  Catherine  Evans  and  Sarah  Cheevers  had  proceeded 
to  Leghorn  and  Malta;  Mary  Fisher  had  been  courteously 
heard  by  the  Sultan  of  Turkey ;  and  John  Stubbs  and  Henry 
Fell  had  gone  to  Alexandria,  in  Egypt,  intending  to  visit 
China,  and  to  penetrate  into  Abyssinia,  then  known  as  the 
country  of  Prester  John. 


PKEACHING   IN   FOREIGN   LANDS.  235 

Although  it  was  a  settled  principle  among  Friends,  that 
nothing  in  the  nature  of  a  compensation  for  religious  services 
should  be  received  from  man,  yet  some  of  those  engaged  in 
these  extensive  travels  in  the  gospel  ministry,  not  being  able 
to  defray  their  expenses  without  assistance,  it  became  neces- 
sary for  the  Society  to  provide  the  means  to  supply  their 
necessities.  Accordingly  a  subscription  had  been  opened 
among  Friends,  by  direction  of  a  General  Meeting  held  at 
Skipton,  in  1658,  which  resulted  in  the  collection  of  <£443, 
5s.  5c?.*  This  sum  indicates  great  liberality,  especially  when 
we  take  into  view  the  value  of  money  at  that  day,  and  the 
circumstances  of  Friends,  many  of  whom  were  impoverished 
by  losses  and  imprisonments  on  account  of  their  religious 
testimonies. 

At  another  General  Meeting  of  Friends,  held  at  Skipton, 
on  the  25th  of  the  2d  month,  1660,  an  epistle  was  issued, 
recommending  a  similar  collection.  It  commences  thus : 

"  DEAR  FRIENDS  AND  BRETHREN  : — We,  having  certain 
information  from  some  Friends  of  London,  of  the  great  work 
and  service  of  the  Lord  beyond  the  seas,  in  several  parts  and 
regions,  as  Germany,  America,  and  many  other  islands  and 
places,  as  Florence,  Mantua,  Palatine,  Tuscany,  Italy,  Rome, 
Turkey,  Jerusalem,  France,  Geneva,  Norway,  Barbadoes, 
Bermuda,  Antigua,  Jamaica,  Surinam,  Newfoundland;  through 
all  which  Friends  have  passed  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and 
divers  other  countries,  places,  islands,  and  nations ;  and  among 
many  nations  of  the  Indians,  in  which  they  have  had  service 
for  the  Lord,  and  through  great  travails  have  published  his 
name,  and  declared  the  everlasting  gospel  of  peace  unto  them 
that  have  been  afar  off,  that  they  might  be  brought  nigh  unto 
God." 

A  collection  is  then  recommended  in  every  particular  meet- 
ing, to  be  sent  "as  formerly,  to  London,  for  the  service  and 
use  aforesaid. "f 

*  Bowden's  History  of  Friends  in  America,  59-60. 
t  Ibid. 


236  LIFE    OF    GEORGE    FOX. 

Among  those  devoted  ministers  of  the  gospel  who  visited 
foreign  lands,  Josiah  Cole  was  one  who  travelled  extensively 
in  America,  and  particularly  among  the  Indians  of  the  inte- 
rior. By  a  letter  of  his,  still  extant,  it  appears  that  the  far- 
reaching  vision  of  George  Fox  had  perceived  the  advantages 
that  would  be  derived  from  planting  a  colony  of  Friends  in 
North  America,  and  that,  at  his  instance,  efforts  had  been 
made,  but  without  success,  to  secure  a  location  on  the  Susque- 
hanna,  more  than  twenty  years  before  William  Penn  became 
the  proprietor  of  Pennsylvania.** 

In  the  year  1662,  George  Fox  and  Gilbert  Latey  obtained 
the  release  of  Catharine  Evans  and  Sarah  Cheevers,  ministers 
in  the  Society  of  Friends,  who  had  been  for  some  time  im- 
prisoned by  the  Inquisition  at  Malta.  In  order  to  effect  this 
object,  they  waited  repeatedly  on  Lord  D'Aubigny,  a  Roman 
Catholic  priest  in  orders,  then  staying  in  London.  In  one  of 
their  interviews,  the  conversation  turning  on  religion,  George 
Fox  brought  the  priest  to  acknowledge,  that  "  Christ  hath 
enlightened  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,  with  his 
spiritual  light ;  that  he  tasted  death  for  every  man ;  and  that 
the  grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared  to 
all  men,  and  would  bring  their  salvation,  if  they  did  but  obey 
it."  Then  George  asked  him  what  the  Papists  would  do  with 
all  their  relics  and  images,  if  they  should  own  and  believe  in 
this  light,  and  receive  this  grace  to  teach  them,  and  bring 
their  salvation  ?  He  answered,  those  things  were  but  policies, 
to  keep  people  in  subjection,  f 

At  this  time,  he  relates  in  his  Journal,  that  among  the 
various  troubles,  to  which  Friends  in  Great  Britain  were  sub- 
jected, one  was  concerning  marriages,  performed  according 
to  their  order,  which  some  persons  were  disposed  to  consider 
illegal.  A  case,  however  was  tried  at  Nottingham  assizes,  in 
which  their  legality  was  established  by  a  judicial  decision.  The 

*  See  the  letter  dated  Maryland,  llth  month,  1660,  Bowden's  Hist, 
p.  389. 

t  Sewel,  I.  360,  and  Journal,  II.  8. 


ADDRESS   TO   THE   KING.  237 

charge  of  Judge  Archer  on  this  occasion,  was  somewhat  re- 
markable. After  the  counsel  on  both  sides  had  pleaded,  he 
summed  up  the  case  by  saying,  "  There  was  a  marriage  in 
Paradise,  when  Adam  took  Eve,  and  Eve  took  Adam  ;  and  that 
it  was  the  consent  of  parties  that  made  a  marriage." 

The  number  of  Friends  in  prison  being  now  very  great,  and 
their  sufferings  severe,  George  Fox  and  Richard  Hubberthorn 
drew  up  the  following  address,  which  they  had  delivered  as 
directed : 

TO    THE    KING. 

FRIEND  : — who  art  the  chief  ruler  of  these  dominions,  here 
is  a  list  of  some  of  the  sufferings  of  the  people  of  God,  in 
scorn  called  Quakers,  that  have  suffered  under  the  changeable 
powers  before  thee,  by  whom  there  have  been  imprisoned,  and 
under  whom  there  have  suffered  for  good  conscience  sake,  and 
for  bearing  testimony  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  "  three 
thousand  one  hundred  seventy-three  persons ;  and  there  lie 
yet  in  prison  in  the  name  of  the  commonwealth,  seventy- 
three  persons,"  that  we  know  of.  And  there  have  died  in 
prison,  in  the  time  of  the  commonwealth,  "  arid  of  Oliver  and 
Richard  the  protector,  through  cruel  and  hard  imprisonments, 
upon  nasty  straw  and  in  dungeons,  thirty-two  persons." 
There  have  been  also  imprisoned  in  thy  name,  since  thy  arri- 
val, by  such  as  thought  to  ingratiate  themselves  thereby  with 
thee,  "  three  thousand  sixty  and  eight  persons."  Besides  this, 
our  meetings  are  daily  broken  up  by  men  with  clubs  and  arms 
(though  we  meet  peaceably,  according  to  the  practice  of  God's 
people  in  the  primitive  times) ;  our  friends  are  thrown  into 
waters,  and  trod  upon  till  the  very  blood  gusheth  out  of  them  ; 
the  number  of  which  abuses  can  hardly  be  uttered.  Now 
this  we  would  have  of  thee,  to  set  them  at  liberty  that  lie  in 
prison  in  the  names  of  the  commonwealth  and  of  the  two 
protectors,  and  them  that  lie  in  thy  own  name,  for  speaking 
the  truth,  and  for  a  good  conscience  sake,  who  have  not  lifted 
up  an  hand  against  thee  nor  any  man ;  and  that  the  meetings 


238  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

V 

of  our  Friends,  who  meet  peaceably  together  in  the  fear  of 
God  to  worship  him,  may  not  be  broken  up  by  rude  people, 
with  their  clubs,  swords,  and  staves.  One  of  the  greatest 
things  that  we  have  suffered  for  formerly,  was  because  we 
could  not  swear  to  the  protectors,  and  all  the  changeable 
governments  ;  and  now  we  are  imprisoned  because  we  cannot 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  Now,  if  Yea  be  Yea,  and  Nay 
Nay,  to  thee  and  to  all  men  upon  the  earth,  let  us  suffer  as 
much  for  breaking  of  that  as  others  do  for  breaking  an  oath. 
We  have  suffered  these  many  years,  both  in  lives  and  estates 
under  these  changeable  governments,  because  we  cannot  swear, 
but  obey  Christ's  doctrine,  who  commands,  "we  should  not 
swear  at  all,"  Matth.  v.,  James  v.  ;  and  this  we  seal  with  our 
lives  and  estates,  with  our  Yea  and  Nay,  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  Christ.  Hearken  to  these  things,  and  so  consider 
them  in  the  wisdom  of  thy  God,  that  by  it  such  actions  may 
be  stopped  ;  thou  that  hast  the  government,  and  mayst  do  it. 
We  desire  all  that  are  in  prison  may  be  set  at  liberty,  and 
that  for  the  time  to  come  they  may  not  be  imprisoned  for  con- 
science and  for  the  truth's  sake.  If  thou  question  the  inno- 
cency  of  their  sufferings,  let  them  and  their  accusers  be 
brought  before  thee,  and  we  shall  produce  a  more  particular 
and  full  account  of  their  sufferings,  if  required. 

GEORGE  Fox  AND  RICHARD  HUBBERTHORN. 

This  address  is  remarkable  for  its  plain,  blunt  statement  of 
facts,  and  if  it  appears  deficient  in  courtesy,  let  us  remember 
that  the  king  had  failed  to  perform  his  promises,  and  was 
justly  chargeable  with  neglect  towards  his  suffering  subjects. 
He  was  accustomed  to  receive  from  Friends  more  pointed 
admonitions  than  any  that  reached  him  from  other  sources. 
On  one  occasion,  it  is  related  that  an  address  from  George 
Fox  the  younger,  alluded  so  plainly  to  the  vices  of  the  court, 
that  the  Duke  of  York  advised  the  king  to  punish  him  severely ; 
but  Charles,  being  conscious  that  the  rebuke  was  well  merit- 


THOMAS  SHERMAN'S  LETTER.  239 

ted,  replied  very  sensibly,  "It  were  better  to  amend  our 
lives."  * 

It  may  not  be  inappropriate  here  to  remark  that  the  George 
Fox  above  mentioned,  who  died  in  1661  or  '62,  assumed  the 
appellation  of  "the  younger,"  on  account  of  his  being  less 
advanced  in  religious  experience  than  his  distinguished  con- 
temporary of  the  same  name.  He  was,  however,  highly 
esteemed  as  a  minister  and  writer.  He  was  a  man  of  un- 
daunted courage  and  extraordinary  resignation,  which  he 
evinced  by  his  bold  attacks  upon  wickedness  in  high  places, 
and  his  patient  endurance  of  abuse  and  imprisonment. f 

In  a  preceding  chapter  of  this  work,  a  relation  was  given 
of  the  cruelty  exercised  by  a  jailor  towards  George  Fox,  while 
he  was  confined  in  the  house  of  correction  at  Derby.  It  now 
appears  by  the  following  letter  that  he  was  made  the  instru- 
ment to  reclaim  from  the  error  of  his  ways  a  man  who  then 
appeared  to  be  hardened  in  vice  : 

THOMAS    SHERMAN  TO   GEORGE   FOX. 

DEAR  FRIEND  : — Having  such  a  convenient  messenger,  I 
could  do  no  less  than  give  thee  an  account  of  my  present  con- 
dition, remembering  that,  to  the  first  awakening  of  me  to  a 
sense  of  life,  and  of  the  inward  principle,  God  was  pleased  to 
make  use  of  thee  as  an  instrument.  So  that  sometimes  I  am 
taken  with  admiration  that  it  should  come  by  such  a  means 
as  it  did ;  that  is  to  say,  that  Providence  should  order  thee  to 
be  my  prisoner,  to  give  me  my  first  real  sight  of  the  truth. 
It  makes  me  many  times  to  think  of  the  jailor's  conversion  by 
the  apostles.  Oh  !  happy  George  Fox,  that  first  breathed 
that  breath  of  life  within  the  walls  of  my  habitation  !  Not- 
withstanding my  outward  losses  are,  since  that  time,  such  that 
I  am  become  nothing  in  the  world,  yet  I  hope  I  shall  find 
that  all  these  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for  a  moment, 
will  work  for  me  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory.  They  have  taken  all  from  me ;  and  now,  instead  of 

*Sewel,  1.351.  t  Ibid,  353. 


240  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

keeping  a  prison,  I  am  rather  waiting  when  1  shall  become  a 
prisoner  myself.  Pray  for  me,  that  my  faith  fail  not,  and 
that  I  may  hold  out  to  the  death,  that  I  may  receive  a  crown 
of  life.  I  earnestly  desire  to  hear  from  thee,  and  of  thy 
condition,  which  would  very  much  rejoice  me.  Not  having 
else  at  present  but  my  kind  love  unto  thee  and  all  Christian 
friends  with  thee,  in  haste,  I  rest  thine  in  Christ  Jesus, 

THOMAS  SHERMAN. 

After  some  stay  in  London,  George  Fox,  accompanied  by 
Alexander  Parker  and  John  Stubbs,  travelled  through  the 
country,  visiting  meetings,  until  they  came  to  Bristol.  Here 
he  stayed  a  week,  and  attended  meetings,  which  he  describes  as 
eminently  favoured  with  the  evidence  of  divine  life  and  power. 
"  The  magistrates  had  threatened  to  take  him,  and  had  raised 
the  trained  bands,"  which  induced  his  friends  to  dissuade  him 
from  going  to  meeting,  but  he  evinced  his  usual  intrepidity  by 
attending  and  preaching  the  gospel ;  nor  was  he  disturbed, 
for  the  officers  and  soldiers  did  not  arrive  till  after  the  meet- 
ing was  ended.  It  was  remarkable  that  in  many  places  where 
measures  had  been  concerted  for  his  arrest,  circumstances  un- 
expectedly occurred  to  prevent  the  execution  of  their  designs, 
and  he  attributed  his  preservation  from  imminent  peril  to  the 
overruling  providence  of  God. 

Continuing  his  travels  through  Wiltshire  and  Berkshire,  he 
returned  to  London,  "  having  great  meetings  amongst  Friends 
as  he  went."  He  remained  in  the  city  but  a  short  time ;  and 
then,  accompanied  by  John  Stubbs,  he  went  into  Leicester- 
shire. 

At  Barnet-hills  they  met  with  Captain  Brown,  a  Baptist, 
who,  when  the  act  was  passed  "for  breaking  up  meetings," 
had  retired  to  that  secluded  place  to  avoid  persecution.  His 
wife  being  a  Friend,  he  was  not  willing  she  should  attend 
meetings,  for  he  said  "  she  should  not  go  to  prison."  But  he 
was  sorely  distressed  by  a  sense  of  his  unfaithfulness,  and 
when  asked  by  George  Fox  how  he  did,  "  How  do  I  do  ?"  he 
replied,  "  the  plagues  and  vengeance  of  God  are  upon  me,  a 


HE    IS   ARRESTED    AT    SWANSEA.  241 

runagate,  a  Cain  as  I  am,  God  may  look  for  a  witness  for 
me,  and  such  as  me ;  for  if  all  were  not  faithfuller  than  I, 
God  would  have  no  witness  left  in  the  earth."  In  this  condi- 
tion he  lived  on  bread  and  water,  and  thought  it  was  too  good 
for  him.  At  length  he  got  home  again  with  his  wife  to  his 
own  house  at  Barrow,  where  afterwards  he  was  convinced  of 
God's  eternal  truth,  and  died  in  it.  A  little  before  his  death, 
he  said,  '  Though  he  had  not  borne  a  testimony  for  truth  in 
his  life,  he  would  bear  a  testimony  in  his  death,  and  would  be 
buried  in  his  orchard,'  and  was  so." 

Leaving  Barnet-hills,  they  proceeded  to  Swansea,  where,  at 
a  Friend's  house,  lord  Beaumont  came  with  a  company  of 
soldiers,  and  made  prisoners  of  several  Friends  that  were  pre- 
sent. George  Fox  was  in  the  hall,  conversing  with  a  poor 
widow  and  her  daughter ;  and  when  the  soldiers  brought  him 
forward,  being  asked  his  name,  he  said,  "  My  name  is  George 
Fox,  and  I  am  well  known  by  that  name."  "Ay,"  said  lord 
Beaumont,  "you  are  known  all  the  world  over."  On  their 
searching  him  for  letters,  he  said,  "  I  am  no  letter-carrier : 
why  dost  thou  come  among  a  peaceable  people  with  swords 
and  pistols,  without  a  constable,  contrary  to  the  king's  pro- 
clamation, and  the  late  act?"  Constables  being  sent  for,  the 
prisoners  were  placed  in  their  custody,  and  next  day  were 
brought  before  lord  Beaumont,  who  made  out  a  mittimus 
stating  that  "they  were  to  have  had  a  meeting."  He  then 
delivered  them  to  the  constables,  to  be  taken  to  Leicester  jail ; 
but  it  being  harvest  time,  no  one  was  disposed  to  go  with  them. 
The  people  were  loth  to  take  their  neighbours  to  prison,  espe- 
cially in  such  a  busy  time.  The  constables  offered  to  give  the 
Friends  their  own  mittimus,  and  to  let  them  go  to  jail  unat- 
tended, as  they  had  often  done  before,  which  was  a  striking 
proof  of  the  confidence  generally  reposed  in  them.  George 
Fox  and  his  friends  very  properly  refused  this ;  and  told  them, 
although  Friends  had  sometimes  done  so,  they  would  not  take 
this  mittimus,  but  some  one  must  go  with  them  to  the  jailer. 
At  last  a  poor  labouring  man  was  hired  for  the  purpose,  and 
16 


242  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

he  reluctantly  went  with  them.  "  So  we  rode  to  Leicester," 
says  George  Fox  in  his  Journal,  "being  five  in  number:  some 
carried  their  bibles  open  in  their  hands,  declaring  truth  to  the 
people  as  we  rode,  in  the  fields  and  through  the  towns,  and 
telling  them,  'we  were  prisoners  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
going  to  suffer  bonds  for  his  name  and  truth's  sake.'  One 
woman  Friend  carried  her  wheel  in  her  lap  to  spin  in  prison, 
and  the  people  were  mightily  affected." 

At  Leicester  they  were  taken  to  an  inn,  the  keeper  of  which 
was  in  commission  as  a  civil  officer,  and  he,  being  unwilling 
that  the  Friends  should  go  to  prison,  offered  to  keep  them  at 
his  house.  But  they,  foreseeing  that  the  expense  would  be 
considerable,  and  learning  that  many  of  their  friends  were 
already  in  prison,  preferred  to  go  thither ;  especially  as  they 
were  apprehensive  that  their  kind  host  would  incur  much  risk 
by  having  their  meetings  in  his  house.  They  stayed  all  that 
day  in  the  prison-yard,  and  desired  the  jailor  to  let  them  have 
some  straw.  He  answered,  "  You  do  not  look  like  men  that 
would  lie  on  straw."  This  jailor  was  a  very  cruel  man,  and 
had  thrust  seven  other  Friends,  then  in  prison,  into  the  dun- 
geon among  the  felons,  where  they  had  scarcely  room  to  lie 
down.  George  Fox  inquired  of  William  Smith,  a  Friend  who 
came  to  see  them,  "  Whether  the  jailor  or  his  wife  was 
master?"  He  answered,  "The  wife:  and  though  she  sat 
mostly  in  her  chair,  not  being  able  to  go  but  on  crutches,  yet 
she  would  beat  her  husband  when  he  came  within  her  reach, 
if  he  did  not  as  she  would  have  him."  William  Smith  was 
then  desired  to  say  to  her  that,  "  If  she  would  let  them  have 
a  room,  and  suffer  the  other  Friends  to  come  out  of  the  dun- 
geon and  be  with  them,  leaving  it  to  them  to  pay  her  what 
they  would,  it  might  be  better  for  her."  He  went  accordingly, 
and  after  some  persuasion,  she  consented  to  this  arrange- 
ment. 

The  Friends  were  now  informed  that  the  jailor  would  not 
allow  them  to  have  any  drink  out  of  the  town,  but  what  beer 
they  drank  they  must  buy  of  him.  George  Fox  told  them 


TKIAL   AT    LEICESTER.  243 

he  could  remedy  that,  if  they  would  consent.  The  jailor,  he 
said,  could  not  deny  them  water,  and  he  proposed  that  they 
should  steep  a  little  wormwood  in  it,  which  they  did,  and  it 
served  them  instead  of  beer.  "Before  we  came,"  says 
George  Fox,  in  his  Journal,  "  when  those  few  Friends  that 
were  prisoners  met  together  on  First-days,  if  any  of  them  was 
moved  to  pray  to  the  Lord,  the  jailor  would  come  up,  with  his 
quarter-staff  in  his  hand,  and  his  mastiff  dog  at  his  heels,  and 
pluck  them  down  by  the  hair  of  the  head,  and  strike  them 
with  his  staff;  but  when  he  struck  Friends,  the  mastiff  dog, 
instead  of  falling  upon  them,  would  take  the  staff  out  of  his 
hand.  When  First-day  came,  I  spoke  to  one  of  my  fellow- 
prisoners  to  carry  a  stool,  and  set  it  in  the  yard,  and  give 
notice  to  the  debtors  and  felons,  that  there  would  be  a  meet- 
ing in  the  yard,  and  they  that  would  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord  declared,  might  come  thither.  So  the  prisoners  gathered 
in  the  yard,  and  we  went  down,  and  had  a  very  precious 
meeting,  the  jailor  not  meddling.  Thus  every  First-day  we 
had  a  meeting  as  long  as  we  stayed  in  prison,  and  several 
came  out  of  the  town  and  country.  Many  were  convinced, 
and  some  received  the  Lord's  truth  there,  who  stood  faithful 
witnesses  for  it  ever  since." 

When  the  sessions  came,  he  and  his  companions,  in  number 
about  twenty,  were  brought  before  the  court,  and  being  placed 
by  the  jailor  where  the  thieves  were,  the  oaths  of  allegiance 
and  supremacy  were  tendered  to  them. 

George  Fox  said,  "  I  never  took  any  oath  in  my  life,  and 
it  is  known  that  we  cannot  swear,  because  Christ  and  his 
apostles  forbade  it.  If  you  can  prove,  that  after  Christ  and 
the  apostles  forbade  swearing,  they  ever  commanded  Christians 
to  swear,  we  will  take  the  oaths ;  otherwise,  we  are  resolved 
to  obey  Christ's  command,  and  the  apostles'  exhortation." 

JUSTICES.  "  You  must  take  the  oath,  in  order  to  manifest 
your  allegiance  to  the  king." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  was  formerly  sent  prisoner  from  this 
town  to  London,  by  Colonel  Hacker,  under  pretence  that  I 


244  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

held  meetings  to  plot  to  bring  in  king  Charles.  I  desire  you 
to  read  our  mittimus,  which  sets  forth  the  cause  of  our  com- 
mitment to  be,  "that  we  were  to  have  a  meeting."  Now, 
Lord  Beaumont  could  not  by  that  act  send  us  to  jail,  unless 
we  had  been  taken  at  a  meeting,  and  found  to  be  such 
persons  as  the  act  speaks  of;  therefore,  we  desire  you  to  read 
the  mittimus,  and  see  how  wrongfully  we  are  imprisoned." 

The  court  would  not  notice  the  mittimus,  but  called  a  jury 
and  indicted  the  Friends  "  for  refusing  to  take  the  oaths  of 
allegiance  and  supremacy."  While  they  were  standing  in  court, 
a  cut-purse  had  his  hand  in  several  Friends'  pockets,  who 
detected  him  and  pointed  him  out  to  the  justices ;  but  although 
the  thief,  when  examined,  could  not  deny  the  charge,  he  was 
set  at  liberty.  Thus  the  course  of  justice  was  entirely  frus- 
trated, and  crime  suffered  to  go  unpunished,  while  innocent 
men  were  made  to  suffer. 

The  jury  having  retired,  soon  returned  with  a  verdict  of 
guilty,  and  the  justices,  after  whispering  together,  directed 
the  jailor  to  take  the  Friends  back  to  prison.  A  great  crowd 
followed  them,  and  the  streets  were  full  of  people,  to  whom 
they  preached  as  they  passed  along.  When  they  were  come 
to  their  chamber  again,  the  jailor  desired  all  who  were  not 
prisoners  to  withdraw,  and  then  he  said,  "  Gentlemen,  it  is 
the  court's  pleasure  that  you  should  be  set  at  liberty,  except 
those  that  are  in  for  tithes :  and  you  know  that  there  are  fees 
due  to  me ;  but  I  shall  leave  it  to  you  to  give  me  what  you 
will." 

Thus  they  were  unexpectedly  liberated,  and  George  Fox, 
accompanied  by  Leonard  Fell,  went  back  to  Swanington.  The 
latter  had  a  letter  from  Lord  Hastings,  who,  hearing  of  his 
imprisonment,  had  written  from  London  to  the  justices  of  the 
sessions  to  set  him  at  liberty.  This  letter  he  had  not  deliv- 
ered to  the  court,  but  now  took  it  to  Lord  Beaumont,  who,  on 
reading  it,  appeared  much  troubled,  but  threatened,  if  George 
Fox  and  his  friends  should  have  any  more  meetings  at  Swan- 
ington, that  he  would  break  them  up  and  send  them  to  prison 


DEATH  OF  EDWARD  BURROUGH.          245 

again.  They  paid  no  attention  to  his  threat,  but  held  a  meet- 
ing there,  which  was  not  disturbed,  and  then  they  went  on 
their  way  through  several  counties,  holding  meetings  till  they 
came  to  London. 

After  a  short  stay  in  the  city,  he  resumed  his  travels  in 
the  gospel  ministry,  and  passed  through  Essex  into  Cam- 
bridgeshire, where  he  heard  that  his  friend  Edward  Burrough, 
who  had  been  'committed  to  Newgate  prison  by  Alderman 
Brown,  was  released  by  death,  the  13th  of  12th  month,  1662. 
This  eminent  man  was  remarkable  for  the  power  and  unction 
that  attended  his  ministry,  as  well  as  for  the  intrepidity  of  his 
conduct,  and  his  great  patience  in  suffering  for  the  cause  of 
truth.  During  his  last  illness,  he  uttered  many  expressions 
indicating  the  peace  of  mind  he  enjoyed  in  the  prospect  of 
death.  Once  he  was  heard  to  say,  "  There  is  no  iniquity  lies 
at  my  door ;  but  the  presence  of  the  Lord  is  with  me,  and  his 
life  I  feel  justifies  me."  Another  day  he  was  thus  heard  in 
prayer  to  God,  "Thou  hast  loved  me  when  I  was  in  the 
womb  ;  and  I  have  loved  thee  from  my  cradle ;  and  from  my 
youth  unto  this  day ;  and  have  served  thee  faithfully  in  my 
generation."  And  to  his  friends  that  were  about  him,  he  said, 
"  Live  in  love  and  peace,  and  love  one  another."  At  another 
time  he  said,  "  The  Lord  taketh  the  righteous  from  the  evil 
to  come."  And  praying  for  his  enemies  and  persecutors,  he 
said,  "Lord,  forgive  Richard  Brown,  if  he  may  be  forgiven." 
And  being  sensible  that  death  was  approaching,  he  said, 
"  Though  this  body  of  clay  must  turn  to  dust,  yet  I  have  a 
testimony  that  I  have  served  God  in  my  generation  ;  and  that 
spirit  which  hath  lived,  and  acted,  and  ruled  in  me,  shall  yet 
break  forth  in  thousands."  Thus  he  was  enabled,  through 
the  spirit  of  his  Redeemer,  to  triumph  over  the  pains  of  death, 
which  he  regarded  as  the  passage  to  a  glorious  immortality. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  about  twenty-eight  years,  ten  of  which 
had  been  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

Among  the  Friends  who  died  prisoners  in  Newgate  the 
same  year,  was  Richard  Hubberthorn,  another  distinguished 


246  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

minister  of  the  gospel,  and  a  fellow-labourer  with  George 
Fox.  Being  crowded,  with  hundreds  of  Friends,  into  that 
noisome  prison,  he  fell  sick,  and  in  less  than  two  months  was 
called  to  meet  the  Bridegroom  of  souls,  which  to  him  was  a 
welcome  summons,  for  his  lamp  was  burning  and  his  vessel 
filled  with  the  oil  of  the  heavenly  kingdom. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  year  1663,  George  Fox  was 
almost  constantly  travelling  in  the  service  of  the  f  gospel ; 
having  in  that  time  traversed  at  least  twenty-nine  counties  in 
England  and  Wales,  some  of  which  he  visited  more  than  once. 
It  was  a  time  of  much  persecution,  great  numbers  of  his 
friends  were  in  prison,  and  many  attempts  were  made  to  take 
him ;  but  there  seemed  to  be  a  special  providence  attending 
him.  Although  he  exposed  himself  by  attending  large  public 
meetings  almost  every  day  for  many  Aveeks  in  succession,  yet 
those  who  were  sent  to  take  him,  generally  came  too  late  or 
too  early  to  the  meetings,  or  were  deterred  in  some  way  from 
executing  their  purpose.  So  eager  were  the  magistrates  in 
some  places  to  promote  persecution,  that  they  offered  five 
shillings  and  even  a  noble  a  day  to  any  that  could  apprehend 
the  speakers  among  the  Quakers,  and  a  justice  in  Westmore- 
land had  offered  five  pounds  for  the  apprehension  of  George 
Fox. 

In  his  Journal  he  gives  the  following  graphic  account  of 
their  proceedings  in  Devonshire  :  "  Friends  told  us  how  they 
had  broken  up  their  meetings  by  warrants  from  the  justices, 
and  how  by  their  warrants  they  were  required  to  carry  Friends 
before  the  justices.  The  Friends  bid  them  carry  them  then. 
The  officers  told  them  they  must  go,  but  they  said  '  Nay,  that 
was  not  according  to  their  warrants,  which  required  them  to 
carry  them.'  Then  they  were  forced  to  hire  carts,  wagons, 
and  horses,  and  to  lift  them  into  their  wagons  and  carts,  to 
carry  them  before  a  justice.  When  they  came  to  a  justice's 
house,  sometimes  he  happened  to  be  from  home,  or  if  he  was 
a  moderate  man,  he  would  get  out  of  the  way,  and  then  they 
were  obliged  to  carry  them  before  another ;  so  that  they  were 


CONTINUED   PERSECUTION.  247 

many  days  carting  and  carrying  Friends  up  and  down  from 
place  to  place.  And  when  afterwards  the  officers  came  to  lay 
their  charges  for  this  upon  the  town,  the  towns-people  would 
not  pay  it,  but  made  them  bear  it  themselves,  which  broke  the 
neck  of  their  persecution  there  for  that  time.  The  like  was 
done  in  several  other  places,  till  the  officers  had  shamed  and 
tired  themselves,  and  then  were  glad  to  give  over.  At  one 
place,  they  warned  Friends  to  come  to  the  steeple-house. 
Friends  met  to  consider  of  it,  and  finding  freedom  to  go,  they 
met  together  there.  They  sat  down  to  wait  upon  the  Lord  in 
his  power  and  spirit,  and  minded  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  their 
Teacher  and  Saviour ;  but  did  not  mind  the  priest.  When  the 
officers  saw  that,  they  came  to  them  to  put  them  out  of  the 
steeple-house  again,  but  the  Friends  told  them  it  was  not  time 
for  them  to  break  up  their  meeting  yet.  Awhile  after,  when 
the  priest  had  done,  they  came  to  the  Friends  again,  and 
would  have  had  them  go  home  to  dinner ;  but  the  Friends 
told  they  did  not  choose  to  go  to  dinner,  they  were  feeding 
upon  the  bread  of  life. 

So  there  they  sat,  waiting  upon  the  Lord,  and  enjoying  his 
power  and  presence,  till  they  found  freedom  in  themselves  to 
depart.  Thus  the  priest's  people  were  offended,  first  because 
they  could  not  get  them  to  the  steeple-house,  and  when  there, 
they  were  offended  because  they  could  not  get  them  out  again.' 

He  also  relates  many  remarkable  instances,  in  which  mali- 
cious persecutors  were  either  cut  off  suddenly,  or  being  sub- 
jected to  great  reverses  and  grievous  sufferings,  were  brought 
to  acknowledge  that  it  had  never  been  well  with  them,  since 
they  afflicted  the  unresisting  servants  of  God. 

It  was  his  firm  belief,  that  the  Most  High  watches  over  his 
faithful  servants  with  paternal  care,  and  that  all  the  afflictions 
permitted  to  befall  them,  will  ultimately  promote  their  own 
best  interests  and  the  glory  of  his  kingdom.  When  he  sees 
meet  to  frustrate  the  designs  of  persecutors,  he  shields  his 
children,  and  holds  them  as  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand ;  and 
when  he  permits  them  to  suffer,  in  order  to  promote  the  glori- 


248  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX.       , 

ous  cause  of  truth,  he  fills  their  hearts  with  a  joyful  sense  of 
his  presence,  he  feeds  them  with  heavenly  bread,  and  gives 
them  to  drink  of  that  living  water,  which  whosoever  drinketh 
shall  never  thirst. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Visits  Colonel  Kirby — Is  apprehended — His  examination  by  the  jus- 
tices— His  trial  at  the  Quarter  Sessions — Committed  to  Lancaster  pri- 
son— Sufferings  of  Friends — Margaret  Fell  committed  to  prison  at 
Lancaster — Her  trial  before  Judge  Twisden — Trial  of  George  Fox — 
He  is  remanded  to  prison. 

1663-4. 

WHILE  on  a  visit  at  Swarthmore-hall,  the  residence  of  his 
friend  Margaret  Fell,  George  Fox  was  informed  that  Colonel 
Kirby's  lieutenant  had  been  there  in  quest  of  him.  On  re- 
tiring to  rest,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  his  reli- 
gious duty  to  visit  Colonel  Kirby,  and  accordingly  he  went  on 
the  morrow.  He  found  several  of  the  neighbouring  gentry 
there,  and  after  a  while  the  Colonel  came  in,  when  George 
Fox  said  to  him,  "  I  have  come  to  visit  thee,  understanding 
thou  wast  desirous  to  see  me,  and  I  wish  to  know  whether  thou 
hast  any  thing  against  me." 

COLONEL  KIRBY.  "I  can  say  as  I  am  a  gentleman,  I 
have  nothing  against  you,  but  Mistress  Fell  must  not  keep 
great  meetings  at  her  house,  for  they  meet  contrary  to  the  act." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  The  act  does  not  take  hold  on  us,  but  on 
such  as  meet  to  plot  and  raise  insurrections  against  the  king. 
But  thou  knowest,  they  who  meet  at  Margaret  Fell's  are  a 
peaceable  people." 

After  many  words  had  passed,  Colonel  Kirby  took  him  by 
the  hand  and  said  again,  "I  have  nothing  against  you." 

Others  of  the  company  said,  "  He  was  a  deserving  man." 

He  then  left  them  and  returned  to  Swarthmore. 

Shortly  after,  when  Colonel  Kirby  had  gone  to  London  to 
attend  the  Parliament,  there  was  a  private  meeting  of  the 


ARRESTED   AT   SWARTHMORE.  249 

justices,  and  deputy  lieutenants,  at  Houlker-hall,  the  resi- 
dence of  Justice  Preston,  where  they  granted  a  warrant  for 
the  apprehension  of  George  Fox,  which  he  understood  was 
done  in  pursuance  of  instructions,  left  by  Colonel  Kirby,  who, 
notwithstanding  his  seeming  kindness  and  moderation,  was  a 
secret  enemy. 

Although  George  heard  of  the  warrant  in  time  to  have 
gone  out  of  their  reach,  he  concluded  to  stay  and  wait  the 
result,  for  he  knew  there  was  a  rumour  of  a  plot  in  the  north 
of  England,  and  he  was  apprehensive,  if  he  took  his  departure, 
they  would  fall  upon  his  friends.  Next  day,  the  officers 
arrested  him  at  Swarthmore,  and  Margaret  Fell  went  with 
him  to  appear  before  the  justices  at  Houlker-hall.  He  found 
there  a  number  of  magistrates,  among  whom  were  Preston, 
Rawlinson,  and  Middleton. 

After  some  discourse  concerning  a  paper  which  George  Fox 
had  written  to  warn  Friends  against  meddling  with  plots,  or 
making  any  opposition  to  government,  Justice  Middleton,  who 
was  understood  to  be  a  Papist,  said  to  him,  "  You  deny  God, 
and  the  church,  and  the  faith." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Nay,  I  own  God,  and  the  true  church, 
and  the  true  faith.  But  what  church  dost  thou  own  ?" 

MIDDLETON.     "You  are  a  rebel  and  a  traitor." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "To  whom  dost  thou  speak?  Or  whom 
dost  thou  call  a  rebel  ?" 

MIDDLETON,  (much  enraged,)  "I  spoke  to  you." 

GEORGE  Fox,  (striking  his  hand  upon  the  table,)  "  I  have 
suffered  more  from  the  king's  enemies,  than  twenty  such  as 
thou,  or  than  any  that  are  here ;  for  I  have  been  cast  into 
Derby  prison  for  six  months  together,  and  have  suffered  much, 
because  I  would  not  take  up  arms  against  the  king  before 
Worcester  fight.  I  have  been  sent  up  prisoner  out  of  my  own 
county,  by  Colonel  Hacker,  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  as  a  plotter 
to  bring  in  king  Charles,  in  the  year  1654 ;  and  I  have  no- 
thing but  love  and  good-will  to  the  king,  and  desire  the  eter- 
nal welfare  of  him  and  all  his  subjects." 


250  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

MIDDLETON.     "  Did  you  ever  hear  the  like  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Nay,  ye  may  hear  it  again,  if  ye  will. 
For  ye  talk  of  the  king,  a  company  of  you ;  but  where  were 
ye  in  Oliver's  days  ?  I  have  more  love  for  the  king,  for  his 
eternal  good,  than  any  of  you." 

Being  further  interrogated  by  the  justices  concerning  the 
plot,  and  asked  why  he  wrote  against  it,  if  he  had  not  known 
some  that  were  engaged  in  it,  he  answered,  "My  reason  was, 
because  you  are  so  forward  to  crush  the  innocent  and  the 
guilty  together,  therefore  I  wrote  against  it,  to  clear  the  truth 
from  such  things,  and  to  stop  all  forward  and  foolish  spirits 
from  running  into  such  things.  I  sent  copies  of  it  into  West- 
moreland, Cumberland,  Bishoprick,  Yorkshire,  and  to  you 
here.  I  sent  another  copy  to  the  king  and  his  council." 

JUSTICES.     "You  are  against  the  laws  of  the  land." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Nay,  for  I  and  my  friends  direct  all  people 
to  the  spirit  of  God  in  them,  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  flesh. 
This  brings  them  into  well  doing,  and  from  that  which  the 
magistrates'  sword  is  against,  which  eases  the  magistrates,  who 
are  for  the  punishment  of  evil  doers."  ....  "In  this  we 
establish  the  law,  are  an  ease  to  magistrates,  and  are  not 
against,  but  stand  for  all  good  government." 

JUSTICE  MIDDLETON.  "  Bring  the  book,  and  put  the  oaths 
of  allegiance  and  supremacy  to  him." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Hast  thou,  who  art  a  swearer,  taken  the 
oaths  of  allegiance  and  supremacy  ?  As  for  us,  we  cannot 
swear  at  all,  because  Christ  and  his  apostles  have  forbidden  it." 

This  was  a  home-thrust;  for  Middleton,  being  a  Papist, 
could  not  take  the  oaths  himself,  yet  would  have  tendered 
them  to  a  Friend,  in  order  to  ensnare  him,  when  no  other 
pretext  could  be  found  to  imprison  him. 

Some  of  the  justices,  being  unwilling  to  tender  him  the  oath, 
would  have  set  him  at  liberty ;  but  others  would  not  agree  to 
it.  So  the  oath  was  tendered  to  him,  which  he,  of  course, 
declined,  and  they  were  about  to  make  out  a  mittimus  for  his 
imprisonment  at  Lancaster ;  but  on  further  consideration,  they 


THE   OATH   TENDERED   TO   HIM.  251 

took  his  word  that  he  would  appear  at  Lancaster  Sessions, 
and  then  dismissed  him. 

He  returned  to  Swarthmore,  attended  meetings  as  usual, 
and  when  the  sessions  came  on,  he  appeared  in  court,  agree- 
ably to  his  engagement.  The  concourse  of  people  was  great, 
but  way  being  made  for  him,  he  came  forward,  and  stood  with 
his  hat  on.  After  an  interval  of  silence,  he  twice  said, "Peace 
be  among  you."  The  chairman  then  said,  "Do  you  know 
where  you  are?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Yes,  I  do ;  but  it  may  be  my  hat  offends 
you.  That's  a  low  thing;  that's  not  the  honour  I  give  to 
magistrates,  for  the  true  honour  is  from  above;  which  I  have 
received  ;  and  I  hope  it  is  not  the  hat  which  you  look  upon  to 
be  the  honour." 

•CHAIRMAN.  "  We  look  for  the  hat,  too.  Wherein  do  you 
show  respect  to  magistrates,  if  you  do  not  put  off 'your  hat?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "By  coming  when  they  call  me." 

His  hat  was  then  taken  off  by  an  officer  of  the  court,  when 
they  began  to  interrogate  him  concerning  the  plot,  and  in  rela- 
tion to  the  meetings  of  Friends ;  but  finding  no  pretext  for  his 
imprisonment,  they  tendered  him  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and 
supremacy.  He  declined  to  swear,  on  the  same  grounds  as 
before ;  and  then  justice  Rawlinson  asked  him  "  whether  he 
held  it  was  unlawful  to  swear."  This  was  an  unwarrantable 
question,  intended  to  ensnare  him ;  for  by  an  act  of  Parlia- 
ment, anyone  who  should  say  it  was  "unlawful  to  swear," 
was  rendered  liable  to  banishment,  or  a  heavy  fine.  Being 
aware  of  their  design,  he  answered,  "  That  in  the  time  of  the 
law  amongst  the  Jews,  before  Christ  came,  the  law  commanded 
them  to  swear ;  but  Christ,  who  doth  fulfil  the  law,  in  his 
gospel  time  commands  not  to  swear  at  all,  and  the  apostle 
James  forbids  swearing  even  to  them  that  were  Jews,  and  who 
had  the  law  of  God."  At  length,  after  much  discourse,  they 
committed  him  to  prison. 

Many  other  Friends  were  then  imprisoned  at  Lancaster; 
some  for  meeting  to  worship  God,  and  others  for  not  swearing, 


252  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

so  that  the  prison  was  very  full.  Some  of  them  being  poor 
men,  dependent  on  their  labour  for  the  maintenance  of  their 
families.,  several  of  their  wives  went  to  the  magistrates,  and 
told  them,  "  If  they  kept  their  husbands  in  jail  for  nothing 
but  the  truth  of  Christ,  and  for  good-conscience'  sake,  they 
would  bring  their  children  to  them  to  be  maintained."  At 
length,  the  justices  being  continually  importuned,  released 
some  of  the  Friends,  but  kept  a  number  still  in  prison. 
Among  these  were  four  who  had  been  there  nearly  two  years 
and  a  half,  having  been  imprisoned  for  tithes  at  the  suit  of  the 
countess  of  Derby. 

One  of  them,  Oliver  Atherton,  being  of  a  weakly  constitu- 
tion, was,  through  the  unwholesomeness  of  the  place,  so  much 
reduced  in  strength  that  his  life  was  considered  in  imminent 
danger.  His  suffering  condition  was  made  known  to  the 
countess,  but  she  being  destitute  of  all  compassion,  refused  to 
grant  him  any  relief.  On  hearing  of  her  refusal,  he  said, 
"  She  hath  been  the  cause  of  shedding  much  blood,  but  this 
will  be  the  heaviest  blood  that  ever  she  spilt,"  and  soon  after, 
he  died.  His  body  being  delivered  to  his  friends,  they  carried 
it  to  Omskirk,  the  parish  where  he  had  lived,  and  posted 
papers  on  the  crosses  of  the  towns  through  which  they  passed, 
with  this  inscription :  "  This  is  Oliver  Atherton  of  Omksirk 
parish,  persecuted  to  death  by  the  countess  of  Derby  for 
good-conscience'  sake  towards  God  and  Christ,  because  he 
could  not  give  her  tithes,"  &c.  She  was  highly  incensed  at  this 
proceeding,  but  still  refused  to  extend  mercy  to  the  other 
prisoners ;  and  within  a  few  weeks  she  died,  and  was  carried 
through  Omskirk  to  be  buried. 

About  a  month  after  the  imprisonment  of  George  Fox, 
Margaret  Fell,  who  had  now  been  a  widow  five  years,  was 
summoned  before  the  same  justices,  then  sitting  at  Alverstone. 
They  questioned  her  about  keeping  a  meeting  at  her  house, 
and  said  they  would  tender  her  the  oath  of  allegiance.  She 
answered,  "You  know  I  cannot  swear;  why,  then,  should  you 


MARGARET   FELI/S   TRIAL.  253 

send  for  me,  from  my  own  house,  where  I  was  about  my  law- 
ful occasions,  to  ensnare  me  ?" 

JUSTICES.  "  If  you  will  not  keep  a  meeting  at  your  house, 
we  will  not  tender  you  the  oath." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  cannot  deny  my  faith  nor  my  principles,  for 
anything  you  can  do  against  me,  and  while  it  shall  please  the 
Lord  to  let  me  have  a  house,  I  shall  endeavour  to  worship 
Him  in  it." 

They  then  caused  the  oath  to  be  read  to  her,  which  she 
refusing  to  take,  they  made  out  a  mittimus,  and  sent  her  to 
Lancaster  castle,  where  she  remained  in  prison  until  the  next 
assizes.*  Her  examination  before  Judge  Twisden,  at  the 
assizes  held  at  Lancaster  the  14th  of  the  first  month,  (March,) 
1664,  is  thus  related  by  herself:  "  She  was  called  to  the  bar, 
and  then  an  order  was  given  to  the  jailor  by  the  judge,  to  set 
a  stool  and  a  cushion  for  her  to  sit  upon.  She  had  four  of 
her  daughters  with  her,  and  the  judge  said,  "  Let  not  Mrs. 
Fell's  daughters  stand  at  the  bar,  but  let  them  come  up 
hither;  they  shall  not  stand  at  the  bar."  So  they  were 
handed  up  and  set  near  the  judge. 

Then  the  mittimus  being  read,  she  stood  up  to  the  bar,  and 
the  judge  spoke  to  her  as  follows : 

JUDGE.  "  Mrs.  Fell,  you  are  committed  by  the  justices  of 
peace  for  refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  obedience ;  and  I  am 
commanded,  and  sent  by  the  king,  to  tender  it  to  any  that 
shall  refuse  it." 

M.  FELL.  I  was  sent  for  from  my  own  house  and  family, 
but  for  what  cause  or  transgression  I  do  not  know." 

JUDGE.  "  I  am  informed  by  the  justices  of  peace  in  this 
'county,  that  you  keep  multitudes  of  people  at  your  house,  in 
pretence  to  worship  God ;  and  it  may  be  you  worship  Him  in 
part,  but  we  are  not  to  dispute  that." 

M.  FELL.  "I  have  the  king's  word  from  his  own  mouth, 
that  he  would  not  hinder  me  of  my  religion.  '  God  forbid,' 
(said  he,)  '  that  I  should  hinder  you  of  your  religion,  you  may 

*  Life  of  M.  Fox,  p.  7. 


254  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

keep  it  in  your  own  house.'  And  I  appeal  to  all  the  country, 
whether  those  people  that  meet  at  my  house,  be  not  a  peace- 
able, a  quiet,  and  a  godly  honest  people  ?  And  whether  there 
hath  been  any  just  occasion  of  offence  given  by  the  meeting 
that  was  held  in  my  house." 

JUDGE.  "  If  you  will  give  security  that  you  will  have  no 
more  meetings,  I  will  not  tender  the  oath  to  you : — You  think 
if  there  be  no  fighting  nor  quarrelling  amongst  you,  that  you 
keep  the  peace,  and  break  no  law ;  but  I  tell  you  that  you  are 
a  breaker  of  the  law,  by  keeping  unlawful  meetings :  And 
again  you  break  the  law,  in  that  you  will  not  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  desire  that  I  may  have  liberty  to  answer  to 
those  two  things  which  are  charged  against  me.  And  first,  for 
that  which  is  looked  upon  to  be  matter  of  fact,  which  is  concern- 
ing our  meetings.  There  are  several  of  my  neighbours  that  are 
of  the  same  faith,  principle,  and  spirit  and  judgment  that  I 
am  of;  and  these  are  they  that  meet  at  my  house,  and  I  can 
not  shut  my  doors  against  them." 

JUDGE.  "  Mrs.,  you  begin  at  the  wrong  end,  for  the  first 
is  the  oath." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  suppose  that  the  first  occasion  of  tendering 
me  the  oath,  was  because  of  meeting ;  but  as  for  that,  if  I 
have  begun  at  the  wrong  end,  I  shall  begin  at  the  other.  And 
first,  then,  as  to  the  oath,  the  substance  of  which  is  allegiance 
to  the  king :  And  this  I  shall  say,  as  for  my  allegiance,  I  love, 
own,  and  honour  the  king,  and  desire  his  peace  and  welfare ; 
and  that  we  may  live  a  peaceable,  a  quiet,  and  a  godly  life 
under  his  government,  according  to  the  scriptures ;  and  this 
is  my  allegiance  to  the  king.  And  as  for  the  oath  itself, 
Christ  Jesus,  the  King  of  kings,  hath  commanded  me  not  to 
swear  at  all,  neither  by  Heaven,  nor  by  earth,  nor  by  any 
other  oath." 

The  judge  then  called  for  the  statute  book,  and  the  grand 
jury  to  be  present.  One  of  the  justices  that  committed  her, 
said,  '  Mrs.  Fell,  you  know  that  before  the  oath  was  tendered 


TRIAL   OF   MARGARET   FELL.  255 

to  you,  we  offered,  that  if  you  would  put  in  security  to  have 
no  more  meetings  at  your  house,  we  would  not  tender  you  the 
oath." 

M.  FELL.     "  I  shall  not  deny  that." 

JUDGE.  "  If  you  will  yet  put  in  security  that  you  will  have 
no  more  meetings,  I  will  not  tender  the  oath  to  you." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  speak  to  the  judge,  the  court,  and  the  rest 
of  the  people :  You  all  here  profess  to  be  Christians,  and  like- 
wise you  profess  the  scriptures  to  be  your  rule ;  so  in  answer 
to  those  things  that  are  laid  against  me — Christ  Jesus  hath 
left  upon  record  in  the  scripture,  '  That  God  is  a  spirit,  and 
that  his  worship  is  in  the  spirit  and  truth,  and  that  he  seeketh 
such  to  worship  him,'  John,  iv.  24.  In  which  spirit,  I,  and 
these  that  meet  at  my  house,  do  meet,  and  worship  God,  in 
obedience  to  Christ's  commands. 

"  Secondly :  The  same  Christ  Jesus,  hath  commanded  in 
plain  words,  that  I  should  not  swear  at  all,  and  for  obedience 
to  Christ's  doctrine  and  command  am  I  here  arraigned  this 
day  :  So  you  being  Christians,  and  professing  the  same  thing 
in  words,  judge  of  these  things  according  to  that  of  God  in 
your  consciences ;  and  I  appeal  to  all  the  country,  whether 
ever  those  meetings  did  any  hurt  or  prejudice." 

JUDGE.  "You  are  not  here,  for  obedience  to  Christ's 
commands,  but  for  keeping  of  unlawful  meetings.  And  you 
think,  that  if  you  do  not  fight  and  quarrel,  or  break  the 
peace,  that  you  break  no  law ;  but  there  is  a  law  against  un- 
lawful meetings." 

M.  FELL.  "What  law  have  I  broken,  for  worshipping 
God  in  my  own  house?" 

JUDGE.     "  The  common  law." 

M.  FELL.     "  I  thought  you  had  proceeded  by  a  statute." 

Then  the  Sheriff  whispered  to  him,  and  mentioned  the  statute 
of  35th  of  Elizabeth. 

JUDGE.  "  I  could  tell  you  of  a  law,  but  it  is  too  penal  for 
you,  for  it  might  cost  you  your  life." 


256  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

M.  FELL.  "  I  must  offer  and  tender  my  life,  and,  all  for 
my  testimony,  if  it  be  required  of  me." 

Then  the  latter  part  of  the  statute  was  read  to  the  jury, 
for  the  oath  of  obedience. 

And  the  judge  informed  the  jury,  and  the  prisoner,  concern- 
ing the  penalty  of  the  statute,  upon  refusal ;  for  it  would  be 
to  the  forfeiture  of  all  her  estate,  real  and  personal,  and  im- 
prisonment during  life. 

M.  FELL.  "I  am  a  widow,  and  my  estate  is  a  dowry,  and  I 
have  five  children  unpreferred  ;  and  if  the  king's  pleasure  be 
to  take  my  estate  from  me,  upon  the  account  of  my  conscience 
and  for  not  any  evil  or  wrong  done,  let  him  do  as  he  pleaseth. 
And  further,  I  desire  that  I  may  speak  to  the  jury,  of  the 
occasion  of  my  being  here." 

JUDGE.  "  The  jury  is  to  hear  nothing  but  me,  to  tender  you 
the  oath,  and  you  to  refuse  it,  or  take  it." 

M.  FELL.  "  You  will  let  me  have  the  liberty  that  other 
prisoners  have." — And  then  she  turned  to  the  jury,  and  said, 
"Friends,  I  am  here  this  day  upon  the  account  of  my  con- 
science, and  not  for  any  evil  or  wrong  done  to  any  man,  but  for 
obeying  Christ's  doctrine  and  commands,  who  hath  said  in  the 
scripture,  '  That  God  is  a  spirit,  and  that  his  worship  is  in  the 
spirit  and  truth :'  And  for  keeping  meetings  in  the  unity  of 
this  spirit,  and  for  obeying  Christ's  commands,  and  doctrine, 
who  hath  said,  '  Swear  not  at  all,'  am  I  here  arraigned  this 
day.  Now,  you  profess  yourselves  to  be  Christians,  and  you 
own  the  scripture  to  be  true ;  and  for  the  obedience  of  the 
plain  words  of  scripture,  and  for  the  testimony  of  my  con- 
science, am  I  here.  So  I  now  appeal  to  the  witness  of  God  in 
all  your  consciences,  to  judge  of  me  according  to  that. 

"First:  You  are  to  consider  this  statute,  what  it  was 
made  for,  and  for  whom.  It  was  made  to  manifest  the  Pa- 
pists, and  the  oath  was  for  allegiance  to  the  king.  Now  let 
your  consciences  judge,  whether  we  be  the  people  that  it  was 
made  for,  who  cannot  swear  any  oath  at  all,  only  for  con- 
science sake,  because  Christ  commands  not  to  swear  at  all." 


TKIAL   OF   MARGARET   FELL.  257 

Then  the  judge  seemed  to  be  angry,  and  said,  she  was  not 
there  upon  the  account  of  her  conscience;  and  said,  "You 
have  an  everlasting  tongue,  you  draw  the  whole  court  after 
you ;"  but  she  continued  speaking  on,  and  he  still  crying,  "Will 
you  take  the  oath  or  no  ?" 

M.  FELL.  "  It  is  upon  the  account  of  my  conscience,  for 
if  I  could  have  sworn,  I  had  not  been  here." 

"  Secondly :  If  I  would  not  have  meetings  in  my  house,  I 
need  not  have  the  oath  tendered  to  me ;  and  so  I  desire  the 
jury  to  take  notice,  that  it  is  only  for  those  two  things  that  I 
am  here  arraigned,  which  are  only  upon  the  account  of  my 
conscience,  and  not  for  any  evil  done  against  any  man." 
Then  the  judge  was  angry  again,  and  bid  them  tender  her  the 
oath,  and  hold  her  the  book. 

JUDGE.  "Will  you  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  yea  or 
nay?" 

M.  FELL.  "  I  have  said  already,  I  own  allegiance  and  obe- 
dience to  the  king,  and  his  just  and  lawful  commands.  And 
I  do  also  own  allegiance  and  obedience  to  Christ  Jesus,  who 
is  the  King  of  kings,  who  hath  commanded  me  not  to  swear 
at  all." 

JUDGE.  "  That  is  no  answer :  will  you  take  the  oath,  or  not 
take  it?" 

M.  FELL.  "I  say  I  owe  obedience  and  allegiance  unto 
Christ  Jesus,  who  commands  me  not  to  swear  at  all." 

JUDGE.  "  I  say  unto  you  that  is  no  answer — will  you  take 
it,  or  will  you  not  take  it?" 

M.  FELL.  "  If  you  should  ask  me  never  so  often,  I  must 
answer  to  you,  that  the  reason  why  I  cannot  take  it,  is  be- 
cause Christ  hath  commanded  me  not  to  swear  at  all ;  I  owe 
my  allegiance  and  obedience  unto  him." 

Then  one  of  the  justices  that  committed  her  said,  "  Mistress 
Fell,  you  may  with  a  good  conscience  (if  you  cannot  take  the 
oath)  put  in  security,  that  you  will  have  no  more  meetings  at 
your  house." 

M.  FELL.  "Wilt  thou  make  it  good,  that  I  may  with  a 
17 


258  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

safe  conscience  make  an  engagement  to  forbear  meetings,  for 
fear  of  losing  my  liberty  and  estate  ?  Wilt  not  thou,  and  all 
you  here,  judge  of  me,  that  it  was  for  saving  of  my  estate  and 
liberty  that  I  did  it  ?  And  should  not  I  in  this  deny  my 
testimony,  and  would  not  this  defile  my  conscience?" 

JUDGE.  "  This  is  no  answer — will  you  take  the  oath  ?  We 
must  not  spend  time." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  never  took  an  oath  in  my  life ;  I  have  spent 
my  days  thus  far,  and  I  never  took  an  oath ;  I  own  allegiance 
to  the  king,  as  he  is  king  of  England;  but  Christ  Jesus  is 
king  of  my  conscience." 

Then  the  clerk  held  out  the  book,  and  bid  her  pull  off  her 
glove,  and  lay  her  hand  on  the  book. 

M.  FELL.  "  I  never  laid  my  hand  on  the  book  to  swear  in 
all  my  life,  and  I  never  was  at  the  assizes  here  before  ;  I  was 
bred  and  born  in  this  county,  and  have  led  my  life  in  it,  and 
I  never  was  at  any  assize  before  this  time;  and  I  bless  the 
Lord  that  I  am  here  this  day,  upon  this  account,  to  bear  tes- 
timony to  the  truth." 

Then  they  asked  her,  "If  she  would  have  the  oath  read?" 
She  answered,  "I  do  not  care  if  I  never  hear  an  oath  read; 
for  the  land  mourns  because  of  oaths." 

Then  the  judge  cried,  "  Take  her  away ;"  and  asked  her, 
"If  she  would  give  security  that  she  would  have  no  more 
meetings  ?" 

M.  FELL.  "Nay,  I  can  give  no  such  security;  I  have 
spoken  enough  for  that."  ....  "And  so  they  took  her 
civilly  away."* 

George  Fox  was  then  called  to  the  bar,  and  said,  "  Peace 
be  amongst  you  all." 

JUDGE.  "  What !  do  you  come  into  the  court  with  your 
hat  on."  Upon  which  the  jailer  took  it  off. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  The  hat  is  not  the  honour  that  comes  from 
Ood." 

*  Life  of  M.  Fell,  277-82. 


HIS    TRIAL    AT    LANCASTER.  259 

JUDGE.  "Will  you  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  George 
Fox?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  never  took  any  oath  in  my  life,  nor  any 
covenant  or  engagement." 

JUDGE.     "  Well,  will  you  swear  or  no  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  a  Christian,  and  Christ  commands 
me  not  to  swear ;  so  does  the  apostle  James ;  and  whether  I 
should  obey  God  or  man,  do  thou  judge." 

JUDGE.    "  I  ask  you  again,  whether  you  will  swear  or  no  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  neither  Turk,  Jew,  nor  heathen,  but 
a  Christian,  and  should  show  forth  Christianity.  Dost  thou 
not  know  that  Christians,  in  the  primitive  times,  under  the 
ten  persecutions,  and  some  also  of  the  martyrs  in  Queen 
Mary's  days,  refused  swearing,  because  Christ  and  the  apos- 
tles had  forbidden  it  ?  Ye  have  had  experience  enough,  how 
many  have  first  sworn  for  the  king,  and  then  against  him. 
But  as  for  me,  I  have  never  taken  an  oath  in  my  life.  My 
allegiance  does  not  lie  in  swearing,  but  in  truth  and  faithful- 
ness ;  for  I  honour  all  men,  much  more  the  king.  But  Christ, 
who  is  the  great  prophet,  the  king  of  kings,  the  Saviour  and 
judge  of  the  whole  world,  saith,  '  I  must  not  swear.'  Now, 
whether  must  I  obey  Christ  or  thee  ?  For  it  is  through  ten- 
derness of  conscience,  and  in  obedience  to  the  command  of 
Christ,  that  I  do  not  swear ;  and  we  have  the  word  of  the 
king  for  tender  consciences.  Dost  thou  own  the  king?" 

JUDGE.     "  I  do  own  the  king." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Why  then  dost  thou  not  observe  his  de- 
claration from  Breda,  and  his  promises  made  since  he  came  to 
England :  '  That  no  man  should  be  called  in  question  for  mat- 
ters of  religion,  so  long  as  he  lived  peaceably?'  If  thou 
ownest  the  king,  why  dost  thou  call  me  in  question,  and  put 
me  upon  taking  an  oath,  which  is  a  matter  of  religion,  seeing 
neither  thou  nor  any  one  else  can  charge  me  with  unpeaceable 
living  ?" 

JUDGE,  (irritated  and  looking  at  him,)  "  Sirrah !  will  you 
swear?" 


260  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  none  of  thy  sirrahs,  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian ;  and  for  thee,  an  old  man  and  a  judge,  to  sit  there  and 
give  nicknames  to  prisoners,  does  not  become  either  thy  grey 
hairs  or  thy  office." 

JUDGE.     "Well,  I  am  a  Christian,  too." 
GEORGE  Fox.     "  Then  do  Christian  works." 
JUDGE.     "  Sirrah !  thou  thinkest  to  frighten  me  with  thy 
words."     Then  checking  himself,  and  looking  aside,  he  said, 
"  Hark !  I  am  using  the  word  sirrah  again,"  and  so  checked 
himself. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  spoke  to  thee  in  love ;  for  that  language 
did  not  become  thee,  a  judge.  Thou  oughtest  to  instruct  a 
prisoner  in  the  law,  if  he  were  ignorant,  and  out  of  the 
way." 

JUDGE.     "And  I  speak  in  love  to  thee,  too." 
GEORGE  Fox.     "But  love  gives  no  nicknames." 
JUDGE,  (rousing  himself  up,)  "  I  will  not  be  afraid  of  thee, 
George  Fox.     Thou  speakest  so  loud,  thy  voice  drowns  mine 
and  the  court's ;  I  must  call  for  three  or  four  criers  to  drown 
thy  voice :  thou  hast  good  lungs." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  am  a  prisoner  here  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and  if  my  voice  were  five  times  louder, 
I  should  lift  it  up,  and  sound  it  out  for  Christ's  sake; 
for  whose  cause  I  stand  this  day  before  your  judgment-seat,  in 
obedience  to  him  who  commands  'not  to  swear,'  before  whose 
judgment-seat  you  must  all  be  brought,  and  must  give  an 
account." 

JUDGE.  "Well,  George  Fox,  say  whether  thou  wilt  take 
the  oath,  yea  or  nay  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  say  as  I  said  before,  '  Whether  ought  I 
to  obey  God  or  man,  judge  thou  ?  If  I  could  take  any  oath 
at  all,  I  should  take  this ;  for  I  do  not  deny  some  oaths  only, 
or  «n  some  occasions,  but  all  oaths,  according  to  Christ's  doc- 
trine, who  hath  commanded  his  followers,  '  Not  to  swear  at 
all.'  Now,  if  thou,  or  any  of  you,  or  any  of  your  ministers 
or  priests  here,  will  prove  that  ever  Christ  or  his  apostles, 


THE   TRIALS   CONTINUED.  261 

after  they  had  forbidden  all  swearing,  commanded  Christians 
to  swear,  then  I  will  swear." 

Several  priests  were  there,  but  none  of  them  offered  to 
speak. 

JUDGE.  "  I  am  a  servant  of  the  king,  and  the  king  sent 
me  not  to  dispute  with  you,  but  to  put  the  law  in  execution ; 
therefore  tender  him  the  oath  of  allegiance." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "If  thou  love  the  king,  why  dost  thou 
break  his  word,  and  not  keep  his  declarations  and  speeches, 
wherein  he  promised  liberty  to  tender  consciences  ?  I  am  a 
man  of  a  tender  conscience,  and,  in  obedience  to  Christ's 
command,  I  cannot  swear." 

JUDGE.  "  Then  you  will  not  swear  ?  Take  him  away, 
jailer." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  It  is  for  Christ's  sake  that  I  cannot  swear, 
and  for  obedience  to  his  command  I  suffer ;  and  so  the  Lord 
forgive  you  all." 

He  was  then  remanded  to  prison. 

Two  days  afterwards,  Margaret  Fell  and  George  Fox  were 
again  brought  into  court,  and  she  being  first  placed  at  the 
bar,  the  examination  proceeded  as  follows  : 

JUDGE.  "  Mrs.  Fell,  you  stand  here  indicted  by  the  statute, 
because  you  will  not  take  the  oath  of  allegiance ;  and  I  am 
here  to  inform  you  what  the  law  provides  for  you  in  such  a 
case.  First,  if  you  confess  to  the  indictment,  then  the  judg- 
ment of  a  premunire  is  to  pass  upon  you.  Secondly,  if  you 
plead,  you  have  liberty  to  traverse.  Thirdly,  if  you  stand 
mute,  and  say  nothing  at  all,  judgment  will  be  passed  against 
you.  So  see  which  you  will  choose  of  these  three  ways." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  am  altogether  ignorant  of  those  things,  for 
I  had  never  the  like  occasion ;  so  I  desire  to  be  informed  by 
thee,  which  of  these  is  the  best  for  me,  for  I  do  not  know." 
And  then  several  about  the  court  cried  "traverse,  traverse." 

JUDGE.  "  If  you  will  be  advised  by  me,  put  in  your  tra- 
verse, and  so  you  have  liberty  until  the  next  assizes  to  answer 
your  indictment." 


262  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

M.  FELL.  "  I  had  rather,  according  to  thy  own  proposal, 
have  a  process,  that  I  might  have  liberty  till  the  next  assizes, 
and  then  to  put  in  a  traverse." 

JUDGE.     "Your  traverse  is  a  process." 
M.  FELL.     "  May  not  I  have  a  process,  and  put  in  my  tra- 
verse the  next  assizes  ?     I  am  informed  that  was  the  thing 
thou  didst  intend  I  should  have." 
JUDGE.     "  You  shall  have  it." 
M.  FELL.     "  That  is  all  I  desire  now." 
Then  a  clerk  of  the  crown-office  stood  up,  and  whispering 
to  the  judge,  said  it  was  contrary  to  law,  and  she  must  put  in 
her  traverse  now. 

JUDGE.  "  I  would  do  you  all  the  favour  I  can,  but  you 
must  enter  your  traverse  now." 

M.  FELL.  "I  acknowledge  thy  favour  and  mercy ;  for  thou 
hast  shown  more  mercy  than  my  neighbours  have  done ;  and 
I  see  what  thou  hast  done  for  me,  and  what  my  neighbours 
have  done  against  me,  and  I  know  very  well  how  to  make  a 
distinction :  for  they,  who  have  done  this  against  me,  have  no 
reason  for  it." 

JUDGE.  "  I  have  done  you  no  wrong,  I  found  you  here." 
M.  FELL.  "I  had  not  been  here,  but  by  my  neighbours." 
JUDGE.  "  What  say  you,  are  you  willing  to  traverse  ?" 
M.  FELL.  "  If  I  may  not  be  permitted  to  have  that  which 
I  desire,  that  is,  longer  time,  I  must  be  willing  to  traverse,  till 
the  next  assizes ;  and  that  upon  this  account,  that  I  have 
something  to  inform  thee  of,  which  I  did  not  speak  on  the  last 
time  when  I  was  brought  before  thee,  viz :  the  justices  who 
committed  me,  told  me,  they  had  express  order  from  above ; 
but  they  did  not  show  me  the  order,  neither  indeed  did  I  ask 
them  for  it ;  but  I  heard  since,  that  they  have  given  out  in 
the  country,  that  they  had  an  order  from  the  council ;  others 
said,  that  they  had  an  order  from  the  king ;  the  sheriff  said, 
that  there  was  express  order ;  and  also  justice  Fleming  said, 
'there  was  an  order  from  the  king  and  council ;'  so  the  coun- 
try is  incensed,  that  I  am  some  great  enemy  to  the  king.  So 


THE   PRISONERS   RE-COMMITTED.  263 

I  desire  that  I  may  have  this  order  read,  that  I  may  know 
what  my  offence  is,  that  I  may  clear  myself." 

JUDGE.  "I  will  tell  you  what  that  order  is:  we  have  ex- 
press order  from  the  king  to  put  all  laws  and  statutes  in 
execution,  "not  only  against  you,  but  all  other  people,  and 
against  Papists,  if  they  be  complained  of." 

M.  FELL.  "Will  that  order  give  the  justice  of  peace  power 
to  fetch  me  from  my  own  house,  to  tender  me  the  oath  ?" 

JUDGE.  "Mrs.,  we  are  all  in  love;  if  they  say  they  had 
an  order,  believe  they  had  one." 

M.  FELL.  "  If  they  have  one,  let  them  show  it,  and  then  I 
can  believe  it." 

JUDGE.     "  Come,  come,  enter  your  traverse." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  had  rather  have  had  more  time,  that  I  might 
have  informed  the  king  concerning  these  things." 

JUDGE.  "  You  may  inform  the  king  in  half  a  year's  time. 
So  now  let  us  have  your  friend  called  up." 

Then,  after  she  was  gone  down,  the  judge  called  her  back 
again,  and  said,  "If  you  will  put  in  bail,  you  may  go  home, 
and  have  your  liberty  till  the  next  assizes  ;  but  you  must  not 
have  such  frequent  meetings." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  will  rather  lie  where  I  am ;  for,  as  I  told 
you  before,  I  must  keep  my  conscience  clear,  for  which  I 
suffer." 

George  Fox  being  next  called  up,  the  judge  asked  him, 
"Whether  he  would  traverse,  stand  mute,  or  submit?"  He 
"  desired  that  he  might  have  liberty  to  traverse  the  indictment 
and  try  it." 

JUDGE.  "  Take  him  away  ;  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
him;  take  him  away." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Well,  live  in  the  fear  of  God  and  do 
justice." 

JUDGE.     "Why,  have  I  not  done  you  justice  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "That  which  thou  hast  done  hath  been 
against  the  command  of  Christ."  Upon  this,  he  was  again 
conducted  to  prison,  to  await  the  next  assizes. 


264  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

George  Fox  and  M.  Fell  continue  in  Lancaster  Castle — Sufferings  of 
prisoners — They  are  again  brought  before  the  Judges — Their  trial, 
and  sentence  pronounced — They  are  remanded  to  prison — A  vision  of 
George  Fox. 

1664-5. 

THROUGHOUT  the  spring  and  summer  of  1664,  George  Fox, 
Margaret  Fell,  and  John  Stubbs,  with  many  other  Friends, 
still  continued  prisoners  in  Lancaster  castle.  Their  place  of 
confinement  being  extremely  damp  and  unwholesome,  another 
of  their  number  was  removed  by  death,  leaving  five  orphan 
children  to  bemoan  his  loss.  Others  of  these  prisoners  were 
poor  men,  whose  families  were  dependent  on  their  daily  labour, 
and  now  their  wives  and  children  were  left  destitute  by  the 
unrelenting  cruelty  of  their  persecutors. 

How  great  must  have  been  the  bigotry  and  intolerance  of 
those  magistrates  and  judges,  as  well  as  of  the  clergy  at  whose 
instigation  they  generally  acted ;  when  they  could  keep  im- 
mured in  such  noisome  prisons  their  inoffensive  neighbours, 
merely  for  refusing  to  swear,  and  for  worshipping  God  accord- 
ing to  their  convictions  of  duty.  It  might  have  been  sup- 
posed that  the  high  social  position  of  Margaret  Fell,  with  her 
own  dignity  of  character,  would  have  received  some  consider- 
ation from  those  who  had  known  and  respected  her  late  hus- 
band ;  but  they  were  no  less  insensible  to  the  promptings  of 
honourable  feeling  than  deaf  to  the  cries  of  humanity. 

Among  the  prisoners  at  the  castle  was  Major  Wiggan,  a 
Baptist  minister,  who  challenged  the  Friends  to  a  religious 
discussion.  George  Fox  obtained  leave  to  go  into  his  room, 
and  has  left  in  his  Journal  an  account  of  their  conversation. 
Wiggan  affirmed  "that  some  men  never  had  the  spirit  of  God, 
and  that  the  true  light  which  enlighteneth  every  one  that 
cometh  into  the  world,  is  natural."  For  proof  of  his  first- 


MARGARET    FELL'S   TRIAL.  265 

assertion,  he  instanced  Balaam,  affirming  that  "  Balaam  had 
not  the  spirit  of  God."  George  Fox  affirmed  and  proved  that 
"  Balaam  had  the  spirit  of  God,  and  that  wicked  men  have  it, 
else  how  could  they  quench  it,  vex  it,  grieve  it,  and  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost  like  the  stiff-necked  Jews."  He  stated,  moreover, 
that  the  true  light  spoken  of  in  the  first  of  John,  is  not  natural, 
but  divine  and  eternal.  It  could  not  be  the  scriptures  of  the 
New  Testament,  because  it  was  testified  of  before  any  part  of 
the  New  Testament  was  written.  It  is  the  spirit  of  truth, — the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter,  which  leads  the  disciples  of  Christ 
into  all  truth,  but  reproves  the  world  of  sin. 

The  assizes  were  again  held  at  Lancaster,  the  20th  of  the 
7th  month  (September)  1664,  by  Judges  Twisden  and  Turner, 
when  George  Fox  and  Margaret  Fell  were  brought  before 
them.  Judge  Turner  being  on  the  crown  bench,  calledMarga- 
ret  Fell  to  the  bar,  and  her  trial  proceeded  as  follows  :* 

JUDGE.     "  Come,  will  you  take  the  oath." 

M.  FELL.  "  There  is  a  clause  in  the  indictment,  that  the 
church-wardens  informed  of  some  things,  which  seem  that 
that  should  be  the  ground  or  first  occasion  of  this  indict- 
ment; I  desire  to  know  what  that  information  was,  and 
what  the  transgression  was,-  by  which  I  came  under  this 
law." 

JUDGE.  "  Mrs.,  we  are  not  to  dispute  that ;  you  are  here 
indicted,  and  you  are  here  to  answer,  and  to  plead  to  your 
indictment." 

M.  FELL.  "  I  am  first  to  seek  out  the  ground  and  the 
cause  wherefore  I  am  indicted  ;  the  law  is  made  for  the  law- 
less and  transgressor,  and  except  I  be  a  transgressor,  you 
have  no  law  against  me,  neither  ought  you  to  have  indicted 
me :  for  it  being  that  the  church- wardens  did  inform,  my 
question  is,  what  matter  of  fact  did  they  inform  of?  For  I 
was  sent  for  from  my  own  house,  from  amongst  my  children 
and  family,  when  I  was  about  my  outward  occasions,  and 

*  Life  of  M.  Fell,  p.  284-7. 


266  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

when  I  was  in  no  meeting,  neither  was  it  a  meeting  day. 
Therefore  I  desire  to  know  what  the  first  foundation,  or 
matter  of  fact  was ;  for  there  is  no  law  against  the  innocent 
and  righteous ;  and  if  I  be  a  transgressor,  let  me  know 
wherein." 

JUDGE.  "You  say  well,  the  law  is  made  for  transgres- 
sors." "But,  Mistress,  do  you  go  to  church?" 

M.  FELL.     "  I  do  go  to  church." 

JUDGE.     "  What  church  ?" 

M.  FELL.     "  To  the  church  of  Christ." 

JUDGE.  "  But  do  you  go  to  church  amongst  other  people  ? 
Ye  know  what  I  mean." 

M.  FELL.  "  What  dost  thou  call  a  church,  the  house  or 
the  people  ?  The  house,  ye  all  know,  is  wood  and  stone. 
But  if  thou'call  the  people  a  church ;  to  that  I  shall  answer, 
as  for  the  Church  of  England  that  now  is,  I  was  gathered 
unto  the  Lord's  truth,  unto  which  I  now  stand  a  witness, 
which  truth  was  before  their  church  waa  a  church ;  and  I  was 
separated  from  the  general  worship  of  the  nation,  when  there 
was  another  power  up,  than  that  which  now  is,  and  was  perse- 
cuted by  that  power  which  then  was,  and  suffered  much  hard- 
ship :  and  would  you  have  us  now  to  deny  our  faith  and  prin- 
ciples, which  we  have  suffered  for  so  many  years  ?  And 
would  you  now  have  us  turn  from  that  which  we  have  been 
witnesses  of  for  so  many  years,  and  turn  to  your  church  con- 
trary to  our  consciences  ?" 

JUDGE.  "  We  spend  time  about  these  things ;  come  to  the 
matter  in  hand — what  say  you  to  the  oath,  and  to  the  indict- 
ment ?" 

M.  FELL.  "  I  say  this  to  the  oath,  as  I  have  said  in  this 
place  before  now,  Christ  Jesus  hath  commanded  me  not  to 
swear  at  all ;  and  that  is  the  only  cause,  and  no  other ;  the 
righteous  judge  of  Heaven  and  earth  knows,  before  whose 
throne  of  justice  you  must  all  appear  one  day,  and  his  eye 
sees  us  all,  and  beholds  us  at  this  present,  and  he  hears  and 
sees  all  our  words  and  actions,  and  therefore  every  one  ought 


TRIAL    OP    MARGARET   FELL.  267 

to  be  serious,  for  the  place  of  judgment  is  weighty.  And  this 
I  do  testify  unto  you  here,  where  the  Lord's  eye  beholds  us 
all,  that  for  the  matter  or  substance  of  the  oath,  and  the  end 
for  which  it  was  intended,  I  do  own  one  part,  and  deny  the 
other,  that  is  to  say,  I  do  own  truth  and  faithfulness,  and 
obedience  to  the  king,  in  all  his  just  and  lawful  demands  and 
commands.  I  do  also  deny  all  plottings  and  contrivings 
against  the  king,  and  all  popish  supremacy  and  conspiracy, 
and  I  can  no  more  transgress  against  King  Charles  in  these 
things,  than  I  can  disobey  Jesus  Christ's  commands.  And 
by  the  same  power  and  virtue  of  the  same  word,  which  hath 
commanded  me  not  to  swear  at  all,  the  same  doth  bind  me  in 
my  conscience,  that  I  can  neither  plot  nor  contrive  against 
the  king,  nor  do  him,  nor  any  man  upon  the  earth,  any 
wrong :  and  I  do  not  deny  this  oath  only  because  it  is  the 
oath  of  allegiance,  but  I  deny  it  because  it  is  an  oath,  and 
because  Christ  Jesus  hath  said,  '  Swear  not  at  all,  neither  by 
Heaven,  nor  by  earth,  nor  any  other  oath;'  and  if  I  might 
gain  the  whole  world  for  swearing  of  an  oath,  I  could  not ; 
and  whatever  I  have  to  lose  this  day,  for  not  swearing  of  an 
oath,  I  am  willing  to  ofler  it  up." 

JUDGE.  "  What  say  you  to  the  indictment  ?" 
M.  FELL.  "What  should  I  say?  I  am  clear  and  innocent 
of  wronging  any  man  upon  the  earth,  as  my  little  child  that 
stands  by  me  here ;  and  if  any  here  have  anything  to  lay  to 
my  charge,  let  them  come  down  and  testify  it  here  before  you 
all ;  and  if  I  be  clear  and  innocent,  you  have  no  law  against 
me  :  you  have  work  enough  besides,  if  you  do  not  meddle  with 
the  innocent,  and  them  that  fear  the  Lord." 

Then  Colonel  Kirby  whispered  to  the  Judge,  which  M. 
Fell  observing,  said,  "  Let  us  have  no  whisperings.  Colonel 
Kirby,  if  thou  hast  anything  to  lay  to  my  charge,  come  down 
here  and  testify  against  me.  The  Judge  represents  the  king's 
person  and  his  power,  and  that  I  own." 

JUDGE.    '"Jury,  take  notice  she  doth  not  take  the  oath." 
M.  FELL.     "  This  matter  is  weighty  to  me,  whatsoever  it  is 


268  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

to  you,  upon  many  accounts ;  and  I  would  have  the  jury  to 
take  notice  of  it,  and  to  consider  seriously  what  they  are 
going  to  do :  for,  first,  1  stand  here  before  you  upon  the 
account  of  the  loss  of  my  liberty,  and  my  estate :  secondly, 
I  stand  here  for  obeying  Christ's  command,  and  so  keeping 
my  conscience  clear,  which,  if  I  obey  this  law,  and  King 
Charles'  command,  I  defile  my  conscience,  and  transgress 
against  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  the  king  of  my  conscience  ;  and 
the  cause  and  the  controversy  in  this  matter,  that  you  all  are 
to  judge  of  here  this  day,  is  betwixt  Christ  Jesus  and  King 
Charles ;  and  I  am  his  servant  and  witness  this  day,  and  this 
is  his  cause,  and  whatever  I  suffer,  it  is  for  him,  and  so  let  him 
plead  my  cause  when  he  pleaseth." 

Then  the  judge  said  to  the  jury,  "Are  you  all  agreed? 
Have  you  found  it?"  And  they  said,  "For  the  king."* 

Margaret  Fell  then  told  the  judge  she  had  counsel  to  plead 
to  her  indictment,  and  he  said  he  would  hear  them  in  the 
afternoon  in  arrest  of  judgment.  Then  the  court  adjourned. 

In  the  afternoon  they  were  again  called  into  court,  when 
Margaret  Fell  stepped  up  to  the  bar,  and  requested  the  judge 
to  give  them  time  till  the  next  morning  to  bring  in  their  arrest 
of  judgment,  which  he  granted. 

As  she  was  about  to  withdraw  he  said,  "  Mrs.  Fell,  you 
wrote  to  me  concerning  your  prisons,  that  they  were  bad,  that 
the  rain  comes  in,  and  that  they  are  not  fit  for  people  to  lie 
in.  I  spoke  to  the  Sheriff  about  it,  and  he  said  he  did  not 
know."  She  answered,  "  The  Sheriff  does  know,  and  has 
been  told  of  it  several  times ;  and  now  it  is  raining,  if  you 
will  send  to  see,  you  may  know  whether  they  are  fit  for  peo- 
ple to  lie  in  or  not." 

Colonel  Kirby  then  stood  up  to  excuse  the  Sheriff.  Mar- 
garet Fell  turning  to  him,  said,  "  If  you  were  to  lie  in  it 
yourselves  you  would  think  it  hard,  but  your  minds  are  only 
bent  on  cruelty,  to  commit  others;  as  William  Kirby  has 

*  M.  Fell's  Life,  285-8. 


SENTENCE   ON   MARGAKET   FELL.  269 

done,  who  has  committed  ten  of  our  Friends,  and  put  them 
into  a  cold  room  with  nothing  but  bare  boards  to  lie  upon, 
where  they  have  lain  several  nights,  although  some  of  them 
are  aged  men,  above  three  score  years,  and  known  by  their 
neighbours  to  be  honest  men." 

Next  morning,  they  were  brought  into  court,  when  Marga- 
ret Fell,  standing  at  the  bar,  said  she  had  counsel  to  plead 
for  her,  whom  she  named:  "But,"  she  added,  "I  have  a  few 
words  to  speak  before  them :  I  see  that  all  sorts  of  prisoners 
who  appear  before  the  judge,  receive  what  mercy  the  law  will 
afford  them,  but  we  desire  only  to  receive  justice  and  law." 
The  judge  replied,  "What  else  are  we  here  for?"  Margaret 
Fell's  counsel  then  spoke,  and  showed  the  judge  several  errors 
and  contradictions  in  the  indictment,  some  of  which  he  seemed 
to  consider  and  others  to  waive  :  but  seeming  dissatisfied,  he 
made  a  pause  and  called  George  Fox  to  the  bar. 

In  the  afternoon  Margaret  Fell  was  again  called  before  the 
court,  to  hear  sentence  of  premunire  pronounced  against  her. 
She  reminded  the  judge  that  he  had  said  to  her  counsel,  she 
might  have  a  writ  of  error  to  reverse  it :  he  answered,  "  She 
should  have  what  the  law  afforded  her."  She  then  said, 
"  The  Lord  forgive  thee  what  thou  hast  done ;  for  this  law 
was  made  for  Popish  recusants,  but  ye  pass  sentence  on  but 
few  of  them."*  This  cruel  sentence  declared  that  she  should 
be  out  of  the  king's  protection,  and  forfeit  all  her  estate,  real 
and  personal,  to  the  king,  and  be  imprisoned  during  life." 
She  was  mercifully  supported  under  this  severe  trial,  and  said 
to  the  judge,  "  Although  I  am  out  of  the  king's  protection, 
yet  I  am  not  out  of  the  protection  of  the  Almighty  God." 
She  was  then  remanded  to  prison. 

Meanwhile  the  trial  of  George  Fox  had  been  proceeding. 
When  first  brought  into  court  he  was  placed  among  the  felons 
and  murderers,  and  after  being  thus  exposed  to  the  public 
gaze  for  two  hours,  he  was  called  to  the  bar.  A  jury  being 

*  Life  of  M.  Fox,  p.  290. 


270  LIFE   OF  GEORGE   FOX. 

empannelled,  the  judge  inquired  of  the  justices,  "Whether 
they  had  tendered  him  the  oath  at  the  sessions  ?"  They 
answered,  "  They  had."  He  said,  "  Give  them  the  book,  that 
they  may  swear  they  tendered  him  the  oath  according  to  the 
indictment."  Some  of  the  justices  refused  to  be  sworn,  but 
the  judge  said  he  would  have  it  done  to  take  away  all  occasion 
of  exception. 

When  the  jury  was  sworn,  and  the  justices  had  sworn  that, 
"  They  had  tendered  the  oath  according  to  the  indictment," 
the  jndge  asked  George  Fox,  "Whether  he  had  not  refused 
the  oath  at  the  last  assizes  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  never  took  an  oath  in  my  life,  and 
Christ,  the  Saviour  and  Judge  of  the  world,  said,  '  Swear  not 
at  all.'  " 

JUDGE,  (not  heeding  this  answer.)  "  I  ask  whether  or  no, 
you  did  not  refuse  the  oath  at  the  last  assizes  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "The  words  that  I  then  spake  to  them 
were,  that  if  they  would  prove,  either  judge,  justice,  priest,  or 
teacher,  that  after  Christ  and  the  apostles  had  forbidden 
swearing,  they  commanded  that  Christians  should  swear,  I 
would  swear." 

JUDGE.  "  I  am  not  at  this  time  to  dispute  whether  it  is 
lawful  to  swear,  but  to  inquire  whether  you  have  refused  to 
take  the  oath  or  no  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  These  things  mentioned  in  the  oath,  as 
plotting  against  the  king,  and  owning  the  pope's,  or  any  other 
foreign  power,  I  utterly  deny." 

JUDGE.  "  Well,  you  say  well  in  that,  but  did  you  deny  to 
take  the  oath  ?  What  say  you  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  What  wouldst  thou  have  me  to  say  ?  for 
I  have  told  thee  before  what  I  did  say." 

JUDGE.  "  Would  you  have  these  men  to  swear  that  you 
have  taken  the  oath?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Wouldst  thou  have  these  men  to  swear 
that  I  had  refused  the  oath  ?"  At  which  the  court  burst  out 
into  laughter.  "I  was  grieved,"  he  says,  "to  see  so  much 


HIS   TRIAL   CONTINUED.  ,          271 

lightness  in  the  court,  where  such  solemn  matters  were  han- 
dled, and  therefore  asked  him,  '  If  this  court  was  a  play- 
house ?  Where  is  gravity  and  sobriety  ?  for  this  behaviour 
does  not  become  you.'  The  clerk  then  read  the  indictment, 
and  I  told  the  judge  I  had  something  to  speak  to  it,  for  I  had 
informed  myself  of  the  errors  that  were  in  it.  He  told  me 
he  would  hear  afterwards  any  reasons  that  I  could  allege  why 
he  should  not  give  judgment.  Then  I  spoke  to  the  jury,  and 
told  them  they  could  not  bring  me  in  guilty,  according  to  that 
indictment,  for  the  indictment  was  wrong  laid,  and  had  many 
gross  errors  in  it." 

JUDGE.  "  You  must  not  speak  to  the  jury,  but  I  will  speak 
to  them ;  you  have  denied  to  take  the  oath  at  the  last  assizes, 
and  I  can  tender  the  oath  to  any  man  now,  and  premunire 
him  for  not  taking  it,  and  the  jury  must  bring  you  in  guilty, 
seeing  you  refuse  to  take  the  oath." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  What  do  ye  with  a  form  ?  you  may  throw 
away  your  form  then."  To  the  jury. — "It  lies  upon  your 
consciences,  as  ye  would  answer  it  to  the  Lord  God  before  his 
judgment-seat."  '  Then  the  judge  spoke  again  to  the  jury, 
and  I  called  to  him  to  do  me  justice.  The  jury  brought  me 
in  guilty.  Whereupon  I  told  them  that  both  the  justices  and 
they  had  forsworn  themselves,  and  therefore  they  had  small 
cause  to  laugh  as  they  did  a  little  before.  Oh  !  the  envy,  rage, 
and  malice  that  appeared  against  me,  and  the  lightness ;  but 
the  Lord  confounded  them,  and  they  were  wonderfully  stopped. 
Upon  my  complaining  of  the  badness  of  my  prison,  some  of 
the  justices,  with  Colonel  Kirby,  went  up  to  see  it,  but  when 
they  came,  they  durst  hardly  go  in,  the  floor  was  so  bad  and 
dangerous,  and  the  place  so  open  to  the  wind  and  rain.  Some 
of  the  magistrates  declared  that  it  was  a  most  filthy  place, 
and  when  Colonel  Kirby  saw  and  heard  what  was  said  of  it, 
he  excused  the  matter  as  well  as  he  could,  saying,  '  I  should 
be  removed,  ere  it  was  long,  to  some  more  convenient  place.'  ' 

The  following  day,  he  and  Margaret  Fell  were  again 
brought  into  court,  and  after  some  time  spent  in  her  trial,  as 
already  related,  he  was  called  to  the  bar. 


272  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

JUDGE.  "  What  have  you  to  say  why  I  should  not  pass 
sentence  upon  you?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  no  lawyer ;  but  I  have  much  to  say, 
if  thou  wilt  but  have  patience  to  hear."  At  that  the  judge 
laughed,  and  others  also  laughed,  and  he  said,  "  Come,  what 
have  you  to  say  ?"  and  turning  to  the  court,  "  He  can  say 
nothing." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Yes,  I  have  much  to  say;  have  but 
patience  to  hear  me.  Should  the  oath  be  tendered  to  the 
king's  subjects,  or  the  subjects  of  another  realm?" 

JUDGE.     "To  the  subjects  of  this  realm." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Look  into  the  indictment ;  ye  may  see  ye 
have  left  out  the  word  subject ;  so,  not  having  named  me  in 
the  indictment  as  a  subject,  ye  cannot  premunire  me  for  not 
taking  the  oath." 

Then  they  looked  over  the  statute  and  the  indictment, 
and  saw  it  was  so ;  and  the  judge  confessed  it  was  an 
error. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  have  something  else  to  stop  judgment ; 
look  what  day  the  indictment  says  the  oath  was  tendered  to 
me  at  the  sessions  there." 

They  looked  and  said,  "It  was  the  llth  day  of  January." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  What  day  of  the  week  was  the  sessions 
held  on?" 

"  On  a  Tuesday,"  was  the  reply  of  some  one  in  court. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Look  to  your  almanacs,  and  see  whether 
there  were  held  any  sessions  at  Lancaster  on  the  llth  day  of 
January,  so  called?"  So  they  looked,  and  found  that  the 
llth  day  was  Monday,  and  that  the  sessions  were  held  on  the 
Tuesday,  the  12th  day  of  the  month.  "  Look  now,  ye  have 
indicted  me  for  refusing  the  oath  in  the  Quarter-Sessions  held 
at  Lancaster,  on  the  llth  day  of  January  last,  and  the  jus- 
tices have  sworn  that  they  tendered  me  the  oath  in  open  ses- 
sions here,  on  that  day,  and  the  jury,  upon  their  oaths,  have 
found  me  guilty  thereupon ;  and  yet  ye  see  there  was  no  ses- 
sion held  in  Lancaster  that  day." 


FLAWS   IN   THE   INDICTMENT.  273 

JUDGE,  (to  cover  the  matter,  asked)  "  Whether  the  sessions 
did  not  begin  on  the  llth  day?" 

Some  one  in  court  answered,  "No,  the  sessions  held  but 
one  day,  and  that  was  the  12th." 

JUDGE.     "  This  is  a  great  mistake  and  error." 

Some  of  the  justices  were  in  a  great  rage  at  this,  and 
'  stamped,  and  said,  "  Who  hath  done  this  ?  Somebody  hath 
done  this  on  purpose,"  and  a  great  heat  was  amongst  them. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Are  not  the  justices  here  that  have  sworn 
to  this  indictment,  forsworn  men  in  the  face  of  the  country  ? 
But  this  is  not  all ;  I  have  more  yet  to  offer  why  sentence 
should  not  be  given  against  me.  In  what  year  of  the  king 
was  the  last  assize  holden,  which  happened  in  the  month  of 
March  last  ?" 

JUDGE.     "  It  was  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  the  king." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "The  indictment  lays  it  in  the  fifteenth 
year." 

They  looked  and  found  it  so,  which  was  also  acknowledged  to 
be  another  error.  "  Then,"  he  says,  "  they  were  all  in  a  fret 
again,  and  could  not  tell  what  to  say;  for  the  judge  had 
sworn  the  officers  of  the  court,  that  the  oath  was  tendered  to 
me  at  the  assizes  mentioned  in  the  indictment." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Now,  is  not  the  court  here  forsworn  also, 
who  have  sworn  that  the  oath  was  tendered  to  me  at  the  assize 
holden  here  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  king,  when  it  was  in 
his  sixteenth  year ;  and  so  they  have  sworn  a  year  false." 

The  judge  then  bid  them  look  whether  Margaret  Fell's  in- 
dictment was  the  same,  but  found  it  not  so. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  have  more  yet  to  offer  to  stop  sentence: 
ought  all  the  oath  to  be  put  into  the  indictment,  or  not  ?" 

JUDGE.     "Yes,  it  ought  to  be  all  put  in." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Then  compare  the  indictment  with  the 
oath,  and  there  thou  mayest  see  these  words  (or  by  any  autho- 
rity derived,  or  pretended  to  be  derived,  from  him  or  his  fee) 
left  out  of  the  indictment,  which  is  the  principal  part  of  the 
18 


274  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

oath ;  and  in  another  place  the  words  (heirs  and  successors) 
are  left  out." 

The  judge  acknowledged  these  also  to  be  great  errors. 

GEORGE  Fox.     "But  I  have  something  further  to  allege." 

JUDGE.     "Nay,  I  have  enough,  you  need  say  no  more." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  If  thou  hast  enough,  I  desire  nothing  but 
law  and  justice  at  thy  hands,  for  I  don't  look  for  mercy." 

JUDGE.     "  You  must  have  justice,  and  you  shall  have  law." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Am  I  at  liberty,  and  free  from  all  that 
hath  been  done  against  me  in  this  matter  ?" 

JUDGE.  "  Yes,  you  are  free  from  all  that  hath  been  done 
against  you."  But,  starting  up  in  a  rage,  he  exclaimed,  "I 
can  put  the  oath  to  any  man  here,  and  I  will  tender  you  the 
oath  again." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Thou  hadst  example  enough  yesterday  of 
swearing  and  false  swearing  both  in  the  justices  and  jury ;  for 
I  saw  before  mine  eyes  that  both  justices  and  jury  had  for- 
sworn themselves." 

JUDGE.     "  Will  you  take  the  oath  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Do  me  justice  for  my  false  imprisonment 
all  this  while ;  for  what  have  I  been  imprisoned  so  long  ?  I 
ought  to  be  set  at  liberty." 

JUDGE.  "  You  are  at  liberty ;  but  I  will  put  the  oath  to 
you  again." 

George  Fox  then  turned  about,  and  said,  "  All  people,  take 
notice,  this  is  a  snare ;  for  I  ought  to  be  set  free  from  the 
jailer  and  from  this  court." 

JUDGE.     "  Give  him  the  book." 

"Then,"  he  continues,  "the  power  of  darkness  rose  in 
them  like  a  mountain,  and  the  clerk  lifted  up  a  book  to  me. 
I  stood  still,  and  said,  '  If  it  be  a  bible,  give  it  to  me  into  my 
hand.'  'Yes,  yes,'  said  both  judge  and  justices,  'give  it  him 
into  his  hand.'  So  I  took  it,  and  looked  into  it,  and  said,  '  I 
see  it  is  a  bible.  I  am  glad  of  it." 

The  judge  caused  the  jury  to  be  called,  and  they  stood  by ; 
for  after  they  had  brought  in  their  former  verdict,  he  would 


THE  OATH  AGAIX  TENDERED  TO  HIM.        275 

not  discharge  them,  though  they  desired  it ;  but  told  them  he 
could  not  dismiss  them  yet,  he  should  have  business  for  them ; 
therefore  they  must  attend  and  be  ready  when  they  were 
called.  When  he  said  so,  I  felt  his  intent — that  if  I  was 
freed,  he  would  come  on  again.  So  I  looked  him  in  the  face, 
and  the  witness  of  God  started  up  in  him,  and  made  him  blush 
when  he  looked  at  me  again ;  for  he  saw  that  I  had  discovered 
him.  Nevertheless,  hardening  himself,  he  caused  the  oath  to 
be  read  to  me,  the  jury  standing  by.  When  it  was  read,  he 
asked  me,  '  Whether  I  would  take  the  oath  or  not  ?'" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Ye  have  given  me  a  book  here  to  kiss, 
and  to  swear  on,  and  this  book  which  ye  have  given  me  to 
kiss  says,  '  Kiss  the  Son,'  and  the  Son  says  in  this  book, 
'  Swear  not  at  all,'  and  so  says  the  apostle  James.  I  say  as 
the  book  says,  yet  ye  imprison  me.  How  chance  ye  do  not 
imprison  the  book  for  saying  so  ?  How  comes  it  that  the  book 
is  at  liberty,  amongst  you,  which  bids  me  not  swear,  and  yet 
ye  imprison  me  for  doing  as  the  book  bids  me." 

"  I  was  speaking  this  to  them,  and  held  up  the  bible  open 
in  my  hand  to  show  them  the  place  where  Christ  forbade 
swearing.  They  plucked  the  book  out  of  my  hand,  and  the 
judge  said,  '  Nay,  but  we  will  imprison  George  Fox.' 

"Yet  this  got  about  all  over  the  country  as  a  by-word, 
'  That  they  gave  me  a  book  to  swear  on,  that  commanded  me 
not  to  swear  at  all,  and  the  bible  was  at  liberty,  and  I  in 
prison  for  doing  what  the  bible  said.'  " 

The  judge  still  urged  him  to  swear,  and  George  Fox  said, 
"  I  never  took  oath,  covenant,  or  engagement  in  my  life ;  but 
my  yea  and  nay  was  more  binding  in  me  than  an  oath  was  to 
many  others ;  for  had  they  not  had  experience  how  little  men 
regarded  an  oath?  and  how  they  had  sworn  one  way,  and 
then  another  ?  and  how  the  justices  and  court  had  forsworn 
themselves  now  ?  I  was  a  man  of  a  tender  conscience,  and  if 
they  had  any  sense  of  a  tender  conscience,  they  would  consi- 
der that  it  was  in  obedience  to  Christ's  command  that  I  could 
not  swear.  But  if  any  one  of  you  can  convince  me,  that  after 


276  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

Christ  and  the  apostles  had  commanded  not  to  swear,  they 
altered  that  command,  and  commanded  Christians  to  swear,  ye 
shall  see  that  I  will  swear.  There  being  many  priests  in  the 
court,  I  said,  'If  ye  cannot  do  it,  let  your  priests  stand  up 
and  do  it.'  But  not  one  of  the  priests  made  answer." 

JUDGE.     "  Oh !  all  the  world  cannot  convince  you." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "No,  how  is  it  likely  the  world  should  con- 
vince me  ?     The  whole  world  lies  in  wickedness.     Bring  out 
your  spiritual  men,  as  ye  call  them,  to  convince  me." 
.     Both  the  sheriff  and  the  judge  said,  "  The  angels  swore  in 
the  Revelation." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "When  God  bringeth  his  first-begotten  Son 
into  the  world,  he  saith,  '  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 
him ;'  and  the  Son  saith,  '  Swear  not  at  all.'  ' 

JUDGE.     "Nay,  I  will  not  dispute." 

GEORGE  Fox,  (to  the  jury).  "  It  is  for  Christ's  sake  that 
I  cannot  swear,  and  therefore  I  warn  you  not  to  act  contrary 
to  the  light  of  God  in  your  consciences ;  for  before  his  judg- 
ment-seat you  must  all  be  brought.  As  for  plots,  and  perse- 
cutions for  religion,  and  popery,  I  deny  them  in  my  heart ; 
for  I  am  a  Christian,  and  shall  show  forth  Christianity  among 
you  this  day.  It  is  for  Christ  I  stand.  More  words  I  had, 
both  with  the  judge  and  jury,  before  the  jailer  took  me  away." 

In  the  afternoon  he  was  brought  up  again,  and  placed 
among  the  thieves  for  a  considerable  time,  where  he  stood 
with  his  hat  on  till  the  jailer  took  it  off.  The  jury  having 
found  this  new  indictment  against  him,  "  for  not  taking  the 
oath,"  he  was  then  called  to  the  bar. 

JUDGE.     "What  can  you  say  for  yourself?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  request  the.  indictment  to  be  read ;  for 
I  cannot  answer  to  that  which  I  have  not  heard." 

The  clerk  then  read  it,  and  as  he  read  it,  the  judge  said, 
"  Take  heed  it  be  not  false  again  ;"  but  he  read  it  in  such  a 
manner  that  George  Fox  could  hardly  understand  what  he  read. 

When  he  had  done,  the  judge  said,  "  What  do  you  say  to 
the  indictment  ?" 


A   NEW   INDICTMENT.  277 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  At  once  hearing  so  large  a  writing  read, 
and  that  at  such  a  distance  that  I  could  not  distinctly  hear  all 
the  parts  of  it,  I  cannot  tell  what  to  say  \  but  if  thou  wilt  let 
me  have  a  copy  of  it,  and  give  me  time  to  consider  of  it,  I 
will  answer  it." 

This  put  them  to  a  little  stand ;  but  after  awhile  the  judge 
asked,  "  What  time  I  would  have  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  Till  the  next  assize." 

JUDGE.  "  But  what  plea  will  you  now  make  ?  Are  you 
guilty  or  not  guilty?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  not  guilty  of  denying  to  swear  ob- 
stinately and  wilfully ;  and  as  for  those  things  mentioned  in 
the  oath,  as  Jesuitical  plots,  and  foreign  powers,  I  utterly  deny 
them  in  my  heart.  If  I  could  take  any  oath,  I  could  take 
this ;  but  I  never  took  any  oath  in  my  life." 

JUDGE.  "  You  say  well ;  but  the  king  is  sworn,  the  parlia- 
ment is  sworn,  I  am  sworn,  and  the  justices  are  sworn,  and 
the  Inn-  is  preserved  by  oaths." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Ye  have  had  sufficient  experience  of  men's 
swearing,  and  thou  hast  seen  how  the  justices  and  jury  had 
sworn  wrong  the  other  day ;  and  if  thou  hadst  read  in  the 
Book  of  Martyrs,  how  many  of  them  had  refused  to  swear, 
both  in  the  time  of  the  ten  persecutions,  and  in  Bishop 
Bonner's  days,  thou  mightst  see  that  to  deny  swearing,  in  obe- 
dience to  Christ's  command,  was  no  new  thing." 

JUDGE.     "I  wish  the  laws  were  otherwise." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Our  yea  is  yea,  and  our  nay  is  nay,  and 
if  we  transgress  our  yea  or  nay,  let  us  suffer  as  they  do,  or 
should  do,  who  swear  falsely.  This  we  had  offered  to  the 
king,  and  the  king  said  'it  was  reasonable.'  ' 

After  some  further  discourse,  he  was  remanded  to  prison, 
there  to  lie  till  the  next  assize,  and  Colonel  Kirby  again  in- 
terfered to  aggravate  his  sufferings,  by  directing  the  jailer, 
"  To  keep  him  close,  and  to  suffer  no  flesh  alive  to  come  at 
him." 

He  was  now  put  into  an  old  ruinous  tower  of  the  castle, 


278  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

where  the  smoke  from  the  prisoners  below  came  up  so  thick, 
that  it  obscured  the  light,  and  stood  as  dew  upon  the  walls, 
insomuch  that  the  under-jailer  could  scarcely  be  persuaded  to 
enter.  The  room  was  so  open,  that  the  rain  came  in  upon  the 
bed,  and  saturated  his  clothes.  In  this  suffering  condition  he 
was  compelled  to  pass  a  long,  cold  winter ;  during  which  his 
body  became  swollen,  and  his  limbs  benumbed. 

Margaret  Fell  was  imprisoned  in  another  apartment  of  the 
same  castle,  where  she  was  detained  twenty  months,  without 
being  permitted  to  go  to  her  own  house.  She  was  then 
allowed  to  go  home  for  a  short  time,  but  was  required  to  re- 
turn to  prison,  where  she  remained  until  liberated  by  the 
king,  in  1668,  having  been  a  prisoner  four  years.  During  her 
imprisonment,  she  wrote  a  number  of  epistles  and  tracts  on 
religious  subjects,  which  were  published,  and  afford  evidence 
of  her  piety  and  earnest  devotion  to  the  cause  of  truth. 

In  a  letter,  written  from  Lancaster  castle,  to  her  son-in-law, 
John  Rouse,  and  his  wife,  she  says,  "  I  am  very  well  content- 
ed."   "  Be  all  satisfied  and  content  with  the  will  of 

the  Lord ;  and  let  neither  murmuring  nor  repining  enter  any 
of  your,  minds ;  and  let  not  sorrow  fill  your  hearts,  for  we 
have  all  cause  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  evermore,  and  I  most  of 
all."* 

The  spring  assizes  at  Lancaster  came  on  the  16th  of  March, 
(then  the  1st  month)  1665,  when  Judge  Twisden  sat  upon  the 
crown-bench,  and  George  Fox  was  brought  to  the  bar.  He 
had  previously  informed  himself  of  the  errors  in  the  second 
indictment,  which  had  been  drawn  up  with  great  care.  "  Yet," 
he  says,  in  his  Journal,  "  many  errors,  and  those  great  ones, 
were  found  in  this  indictment,  as  well  as  the  former.  Surely 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  in  it,  to  confound  their  mischievous 
work  against  me,  and  to  blind  them  therein,  insomuch,  that 
although  after  the  indictment  was  drawn  at  the  former  assize, 
the  judge  examined  it  himself,  and  tried  it  with  the  clerks,  yet 

*  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  XCIV. 


ERRORS   IN   SECOND   INDICTMENT.  279 

the  word  "subject"  was  left  out  of  this  indictment  also,  the 
day  of  the  month  was  put  in  wrong,  and  several  material 
words  of  the  oath  were  left  out ;  yet  they  went  on  confidently 
against  me,  thinking  all  was  safe  and  well.  When  I  was  set 
at  the  har,  and  the  jury  called  over  to  be  sworn,  the  clerk 
asked  me  first,  '  Whether  I  had  any  objection  to  make  against 
any  of  the  jury  ?'  I  told  him,  *  I  knew  none  of  them.'  Then 
having  sworn  the  jury,  they  swore  three  of  the  officers  of  the 
court  to  prove  '  that  the  oath  was  tendered  to  me  at  the  last 
assizes,  according  to  the  indictment.'  ' 

JUDGE.  "  Come,  come ;  it  was  not  done  in  a  corner.  What 
have  you  to  say  to  it  ?  Did  you  take  the  oath  at  the  last 
assizes  ?" 

George  Fox  then  repeated  what  he  had  formerly  said,  and 
pleaded  as  exactly  as  his  memory  would  allow. 

JUDGE.     "  I  will  not  dispute  with  you  but  in  point  of  law." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  have  something  to  speak  to  the  jury 
concerning  the  indictment." 

JUDGE.  "You  must  not  speak  to  the  jury;  but  if  you 
have  anything  to  say,  you  must  speak  to  me." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Should  the  oath  be  tendered  to  the  king's 
subjects  only,  or  to  the  subjects  of  foreign  princes?" 

JUDGE.  "  To  the  subjects  of  this  realm ;  for  I  will  speak 
nothing  to  you  but  in  point  of  law." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Look  in  the  indictment  and  thou  mayst 
see  the  word  'subject'  is  left  out  of  this  indictment  also. 
Therefore,  seeing  the  oath  is  not  to  be  tendered  to  any  but 
the  subjects  of  this  realm,  and  ye  have  not  put  me  in  as  a 
subject,  the  court  is  to  take  no  notice  of  this  indictment." 

JUDGE.     "  Take  him  away,  jailer,  take  him  away." 

"  So  I  was  presently  hurried  away.  The  jailer  and  people 
looked  when  I  should  be  called  for  again ;  but  I  was  never 
brought  into  the  court  any  more,  though  I  had  many  other 
great  errors  to  assign  in  the  indictment.  After  I  was  gone, 
the  judge  asked  the  jury,  '  If  they  were  agreed  ?'  They  said 
'Yes;'  and  found  for  the  king  against  me,  as  I  was  told. 


280  LIFE    OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

But  I  was  never  called  to  hear  sentence  given,  nor  was  any 
given  against  me,  that  I  could  ever  hear  of.  I  understood 
when  they  looked  narrowly  into  the  indictment  they  saw  it 
was  not  good  ;  and  the  judge  having  sworn  the  officers  of  the 
court,  that  the  oath  was  tendered  to  me  the  assize  before, 
upon  such  a  day,  according  as  was  set  down  in  the  indict- 
ment, and  that  being  the  wrong  day ;  I  should  have  proved 
the  officers  of  the  court  forsworn  men  again,  if  the  judge 
would  have  suffered  me  to  plead  to  the  indictment,  which  was 
thought  to  be  the  reason  why  they  hurried  me  away  so 
soon." 

It  appeared  afterwards,  that  they  had  recorded  him  as 
being  premunired,  without'  the  usual  form  of  pronouncing  sen- 
tence upon  him  in  open  court,  by  which  means  his  enemies 
hoped  to  subject  him  to  perpetual  imprisonment.  He  had  how- 
ever, during  this  season  of  deep  trial,  an  unfailing  support  in 
the  consciousness  of  divine  approbation,  and  the  consoling 
evidence  of  heavenly  love.  Being  drawn  into  near  union  and 
communion  with  God,  he  was  favoured  to  witness,  in  the 
visions  of  light,  a  foresight  of  events  which  could  only  be 
known  through  divine  revelation.  ' 

"While  I  was  a  prisoner,"  he  says,  "in  Lancaster  castle, 
there  was  great  noise  and  talk  of  the  Turk's  overspreading 
Christendom,  and  great  fears  entered  many.  But  one  day  as 
I  was  walking  in  my  prison  chamber,  I  saw  the  Lord's  power 
turn  against  him,  and  that  he  was  turning  back  again.  I  de- 
clared to.  some,  what  the  Lord  let  me  see,  when  there  were 
such  fears  of  his  overturning  Christendom;  and  within  a 
month  after,  the  news  came  down,  wherein  it  was  mentioned 
that  they  had  given  him  a  defeat.  Another  time,  as  I  was 
walking  in  my  chamber,  with  my  eye  to  the  Lord,  I  saw  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  with  a  glittering  drawn  sword  stretched 
southward,  as  though  the  court  had  been  all  on  fire.  Not 
long  after,  the  wars  broke  out  with  Holland,  and  the  sickness 
broke  forth,  and  afterwards  the  fire  of  London ;  so  the 
Lord's  sword  was  drawn  indeed." 


THE   CONVENTICLE  ACT.  281 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Conventicle  act — Sufferings  and  banishment  of  Friends — Plague  in 
London — G.  Whitehead  and  Gilbert  Latey  remain  to  nurse  the  sick — 
Sufferings  at  Reading— Letter  of  George  Fox  to  the  prisoners — Re- 
moval of  George  Fox  to  Scarborough  castle — His  sufferings  there — 
His  conversation  with  Papists— With  Dr.  Witty— With  Dr.  Crad- 
dock — His  release. 

1665-6. 

WHILE  George  Fox  and  Margaret  Fell  were  immured  in 
Lancaster  castle,  suffering  under  a  sentence  which  declared 
them  prisoners  for  life,  their  Friends  in  London  and  some 
other  places,  were  subjected  to  hardships  and  privations 
scarcely  less  severe. 

In  addition  to  the  act  against  Popish  recusants,  under  which 
a  number  of  Friends  were  premunired,  many  were  subjected 
to  protracted  sufferings  by  two  other  acts  of  Parliament.  The 
first  of  these,  passed  in  1661,  declares  that  any  person  who 
shall  maintain  that  the  taking  of  an  oath  is  unlawful,  or  who 
shall  wilfully  refuse  to  take  an  oath  lawfully  tendered,  or  if 
the  said  persons  called  Quakers  shall  assemble  to  the  number 
of  five  or  more,  above  sixteen  years  of  age,  under  pretence 
of  joining  in  a  religious  worship  not  authorized  by  the  laws 
of  the  realm  ;  any  such  person,  convicted  by  a  jury,  shall,  for 
the  first  offence,  be  fined  not  exceeding  five  pounds,  or  sub- 
jected to  three  months  imprisonment ;  for  the  second  offence, 
ten  pounds  or  six  months  imprisonment ;  and  for  the  third 
offence,  they  may  be  transported  to  the  British  dominions 
beyond  the  seas.* 

The  second,  called  the  Conventicle  Act,  was  passed  in  1664, 
and  was  to  continue  three  years.  It  related  to  conventicles 
or  meetings  for  worship  held  in  any  other  manner  than  is 
allowed  by  the  liturgy  of  the  church  of  England,  and  also  to 

*  Sewel,  I.  401. 


282  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

a  refusal  to  take  an  oath  in  courts  of  justice.  The  fines,  im- 
prisonment, and  banishment  it  imposed,  were  similar  to  those 
named  in  the  first  act,  with  the  additional  severity  that  fines 
and  imprisonment  might  be  inflicted  by  the  mayor  of  a  city, 
or  two  justices  of  the  peace,  and  that  transportation  and  dis-  < 
traint  of  goods  should  be  adjudged  by  the  quarter  sessions. 
It  provided,  moreover,  that  any  person  sentenced  to  transpor- 
tation under  this  act,  who  should  escape  or  return  without 
leave  from  government,  should  be  adjudged  a  felon  and  suffer 
death.* 

This  act  was  doubtless  procured  through  the  instigation  of 
the  Anglican  clergy,  and  was  intended  to  apply  to  all  non- 
conformists. The  Friends,  however,  by  their  open  and  un- 
flinching fidelity  in  keeping  up  their  meetings,  had  to  bear 
the  brunt  of  the  persecution. 

The  first  attempt  made  in  England  to  transport  them  on 
account  of  their  religious  principles,  was  on  the  24th  of  the 
first  month,  (March,)  1665,  when  Edward  Brush,  Robert 
Hays,  and  James  Harding,  were  taken  from  Newgate  and 
shipped  at  Gravesend. 

But  Robert  Hays,  who  was  already  reduced  by  sickness, 
being  removed  from  the  prison  on  a  cold  day,  and  without 
sufficient  food  or  clothing,  died  soon  after  he  came  on  board,  f 
The  other  two  were  taken  to  Jamaica,  and  after  remaining 
some  time,  returned  to  their  homes  in  England.  Eight  more 
Friends  received  sentence  of  transportation  about  the  same 
time,  and  were  soon  after  put  on  board  the  ship  Ann,  Thomas 
May,  master,  bound  for  Jamaica.  But  owing  to  a  series  of 
remarkable  occurrences,  deemed  providential,  the  ship  was 
prevented  from  going  to  sea.  The  Friends  were  set  ashore 
and  taken  on  board  again  no  less  than  six  times,  until  at 
length,  after  being  baffled  and  delayed  nearly  two  months,  the 
captain  declared  he  would  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  Qua- 
kers, and  gave  them  a  certificate,  in  which  he  says,  "  I  per- 
ceive that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  against  me,  that  I  dare  not 

*  Sewel,  II.  f  G.  Whitehead's  Christian  Progress. 


FRIENDS  SENTENCED  TO  TRANSPORTATION.      283 

proceed  on  my  voyage  to  carry  them,  they  being  innocent 
persons,  and  no  crime  signified  against  them  worthy  of  ban- 
ishinent."  *  The  Friends,  being  thus  set  at  liberty,  returned 
to  their  homes,  and  sent  an  account  of  the  circumstances,  to- 
gether with  a  copy  of  the  captain's  certificate,  to  the  king 
and  council,  by  whom  an  order  was  passed  soon  after,  direct- 
ing the  high  sheriff  to  secure  them  again.  Under  this  order 
they  were  committed  to  prison,  and  remained  there  seven 
years,  until  released  by  the  king's  proclamation,  f 

About  the  same  period,  three  Friends,  sentenced  to  trans- 
portation, were  put  on  board  the  ship  Mary  Fortune,  of  Bris- 
tol, John  Lloyd  master,  bound  for  Barbadoes.  This  ship  being 
in  like  manner  delayed  five  weeks,  the  captain  put  the  Friends 
ashore,  and  gave  a  certificate,  in  which  he  uses  this  language, 
"  But  now  going  to  depart,  their  cry,  and  the  cry  of  their 
families  and  friends,  are  entered  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord 
God,  and  he  hath  smitten  us  even  to  the  very  heart,  saying, 
(  Cursed  be  he  that  parteth  man  and  wife;'  and,  moreover, 
they  that  oppress  his  people,  his  plagues  shall  follow  them 
wheresoever  they  go ;  and  assuredly  we  do,  in  part,  partake 
of  them  already ;  for  our  consciences  will  in  no  wise  let  us 
rest,  or  be  in  quiet,  for  the  Lord  hath  smitten  us  with  a  terri- 
ble fear,  so  that  we  can  in  no  wise  proceed  to  carry  them."  .  . 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1664,  fifty-five  Friends,  of  whom 
eighteen  were  women,  were  sentenced,  by  Judges  Hyde  and 
Twisden,  to  be  transported  to  Jamaica,  and  were  kept  in 
Newgate  prison,  before  and  after  sentence,  about  thirteen 
months.  Several  ship-masters  were  treated  with,  but  refused 
to  take  them,  saying  they  would  rather  lay  up  their  ships.  J 

At  length  they  were  put  on  board  the  ship  Black  Eagle, 
lying  in  the  Thames.  She  remained  in  the  river  seven  weeks, 
during  which  twenty-seven  of  the  Friends  died,  and  one  more 
was  missing,  of  whom  no  account  could  be  given.  She  pro- 

*  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  p.  369. 

f  Besse's  SuSerings,  I.  246. 

J  Memoir  of  William  Crouch,  Friends'  Library,  XI.  312. 


284  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

ceeded  to  sea  with  the  remaining  twenty-seven,  but  was  taken 
near  the  coast  by  a  Dutch  privateer,  and  the  prisoners,  after 
much  rough  treatment,  were  landed  in  Holland,  whence  all 
of  them,  except  one,  found  their  way  back  to  England.  The 
one  who  remained  was  John  Glaus,  a  German,  who  had  been 
convinced  of  Friends'  principles  in  England,  and,  after  his 
banishment,  settled  in  Amsterdam,  where  he  continued  stead- 
fast in  the  truth,  and  subsequently  acted  as  interpreter  for 
George  Fox. 

Although  many  other  Friends  were  sentenced  to  transpor- 
tation, there  appears  to  be  no  account  of  any  having  reached 
the  places  assigned  for  them,  except  the  two  first  mentioned. 
One  of  these,  Edward  Brush,  was  a  very  aged  man,  of  good 
repute,  who  left  behind  him  a  wife  and  child  to  bewail  his 
banishment  to  a  foreign  land. 

It  was  remarked  that  the  first  death  from  the  plague  in 
London,  in  1665,  was  next  door  to  the  house  that  had  been 
occupied  by  Edward  Brush,  and  that  it  broke  out  soon  after 
the  transportation  of  the  Friends  was  begun.  Its  ravages  were 
dreadful.  Eight  thousand  died  in  a  single  week,  and  yet,  in 
the  midst  of  that  appalling  calamity,  so  great  was  the  cruelty 
and  presumption  of  the  persecutors,  that  they  continued  their 
inhuman  proceedings,  crowding  their  victims  into  loathsome 
jails  where  the  pestilence  was  known  to  exist,  or  placing  them 
on  board  ships  where  the  danger  of  infection  was  scarcely 
less  imminent.* 

The  pestilence  continued  to  increase  until  the  beginning  of 
autumn,  when  a  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  had  left 
the  city.  Trade  was  at  an  end,  grass  was  growing  in  the 
thoroughfares  of  commerce,  and  no  sound  was  heard  in  the 
streets  save  cries  of  distress  from  bereaved  families,  and  the 
voices  of  "the  searchers"  appointed  to  bury  the  corpses,  who, 
passing  in  their  carts,  called  aloud  to  the  inhabitants,  "Bring 
out  your  dead."  During  the  last  summer  month,  sixteen 

*  G.  Whitehead's  Christian  Progress,  p.  300. 


THE  GREAT  PLAGUE  IN  LONDON.          285 

hundred  died  daily.  The  people  were  at  first  struck  with 
consternation,  but  at  length  despair  rendered  them  courageous. 
They  then  crowded  to  the  places  of  public  worship,  regardless 
of  danger  from  infection  ;  for  they  looked  upon  themselves  as 
already  numbered  for  the  grave. 

"It  was  in  the  height  of  this  despair,"  says  an  eye-witness, 
"that  it  pleased  God  to  stay  his  hand,  and  to  slacken  the  fury 
of  the  contagion  in  a  manner  as  surprising  as  that  of  its 
beginning,  and  which  demonstrated  it  to  be  his  own  particular 
hand,  above  the  agency  of  means.  Nothing  but  Omnipotent 
Power  could  have  done  it.  The  contagion  despised  all  medi- 
cine :  death  raged  in  every  corner,  and  had  it  gone  on  as  it 
did  then,  a  few  weeks  more  would  have  cleared  the  town  of  its 
inhabitants.  In  that  very  moment  when  thirty  thousand  were 
dead  in  three  weeks,  nay,  when  it  was  reported  three  thousand 
died  in  one  night,  and  an  hundred  thousand  more  were  taken 
sick,  when  we  might  well  say,  'Vain  was  the  help  of  man,'  it 
pleased  God  to  cause  the  fury  of  it  to  abate,  and  by  his  im- 
mediate hand  to  disarm  the  enemy.  It  was  wonderful !  The 
physicians  were  surprised,  wherever  they  visited,  to  find  their 
patients  better,  and  in  a  few  days  everybody  was  recovering."  * 

When  the  pestilence  had  arrived  at  its  greatest  height,  the 
arm  of  persecution  was  in  some  measure  paralysed ;  but  hun- 
dreds of  Friends  were  still  in  prison,  though  many  had  been 
released  from  their  bonds  by  death.  On  such  occasions,  no 
class  can  expect  to  be  exempted  from  the  law  of  mortality. 
"  There  is  one  event  to  the  righteous  and  to  the  wicked ;"  but 
those  faithful  suiferers  for  Christ's  sake,  far  from  regarding 
death  as  a  calamity,  were  prepared  to  welcome  the  messenger 
who  called  them  from  the  trials  of  time  to  the  rewards  of 
eternity. 

George  Whitehead  and  Gilbert  Latey,  who  were  able  and 
devoted  ministers  of  the  gospel,  remained  in  the  city  from  a 
sense  of  duty,  in  order  to  minister  to  the  sick  and  dying,  and 
to  assist  in  keeping  up  the  meetings  of  Friends.  Being  under 

*  Friends'  Library,  I.  178. 


286  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  influence  of  that  divine  love  which  casts  out  fear,  they 
visited  the  prisons,  and  other  places  infected  with  the  plague, 
administering  to  the  poor  sufferers  nourishment  for  the  body, 
and  comfort  for  the  soul.  Many  other  Friends  remained  in 
the  city  for  the  same  benevolent  purpose ;  and  it  was  remark- 
able that  in  most  cases,  those  who  were  engaged  in  this  service 
from  a  sense  of  religious  obligation,  were  wonderfully  pre- 
served. 

In  other  parts  of  the  kingdom  besides  the  metropolis,  the 
sufferings  of  Friends  on  account  of  their  religious  testimonies, 
were  protracted  and  severe.  In  Reading,  there  were  many  in 
prison ;  and  George  Fox,  though  a  prisoner  himself  at  Lan- 
caster, wrote  them  the  following  letter  of  encouragement. 

To  all  the  prisoners  of  the  Lord,  for  the  Truth  and  Christ's 
sake: 

"  Oh !  be  valiant  for  the  Truth  upon  the  earth,  that  you  may 
triumph  in  glory,  over  the  spirits  of  the  world  in  the  everlast- 
ing seed,  that  reigns  and  will  reign,  when  that  which  makes  to 
suffer  is  gone,  before  which  it  was.  ,.  Therefore  trust  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  which  hath  held  and  kept  up  your  heads, 
over  all  the  storms  and  proud  waves  and  floods,  and  who  hath 
been  your  Rock  of  Life.  Therefore  sit  under  the  shadow  of 
the  Almighty,  that  doth  shade  you  from  all  heats  and  storms  : 
rejoicing  in  all  your  sufferings,  that  you  may  come  forth  as 
gold  seven  times  in  the  fire :  and  do  not  look  at  time,  nor 
think  your  sufferings  long ;  but  look  at  Him  that  hath  all  time 
in  his  hand.  All  to  be  heirs  of  Him  and  possess  Him  ;  and 
then  have  life  eternal,  and  so  to  be  God's  lot.  He  to  possess 
you  and  you  Him,  who  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting, 
blessed  forever  !  His  presence  be  with  you  all.  Amen." 

"  So  no  more,  but  my  love  to  you  all  in  the  life  that  changeth 
not.  Remember  my  love  to  all,  as  though  I  named  them. 

GEORGE  Fox."* 

*  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  XCVII. 


HE  -IS  REMOVED  FROM  LANCASTER.         287 

Among  the  prisoners  at  Reading  were  Thomas  Curtis  and 
his  wife.  He  had  been  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  they  had 
lived  in  much  affluence,  but  on  joining  Friends  they  were 
stripped  of  all.  The  following  letter  appears  to  be  an  answer 
to  that  of  George  Fox : 

Reading,  15th  of  llth  month,  1664. ) 
(1st  month  1665.)  j 

"  DEAR  GEORGE  :  With  true  and  unfeigned  love  do  I  heartily 
salute  thee ; — dear  and  precious  is  the  remembrance  of  thee 
even  to  us  all ;  and  in  our  sufferings,  a  few  lines  from  thee 

hath  made   our  hearts  right  glad We  are 

twenty-five  in  all,  yet  left.     This  day  our  meeting  was  quiet, 
contrary  to  all  our  expectations. 

"  Our  little  children  kept  the  meeting  up  when  we  were  all 
in  prison,  notwithstanding  that  wicked  justice  (Armorer)  when 
he  came  and  found  them  there,  with  a  staff  that  he  had  with 
a  spear  in  it,  would  pull  them  out  of  the  meeting  and  punch 
them  in  the  back,  till  some  of  them  have  been  black  in  the 
face  :  his  fellow  I  believe  is  not  to  be  found  in  England,  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace.  And  now  we  are  so  close  kept,  that  no 
man  must  speak  with  me,  but  in  the  hearing  of  the  jailer : — 
yet  the  Lord  supports  us,  and  we  are  over  all  in  true  peace 
and  unity.  The  bearer,  my  man,  can  give  thee  a  large  account 
of  things.  George  Lamboll  and  his  wife,  and  my  Ann  (his 
wife,)  and  Joseph,  and  Benjamin,  are  all  prisoners  with  me : — 
their  dear  love  is  to  thee,  in  the  fellowship  that  is  everlast- 
ing, and  to  Margaret  Fell,  and  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  in 
Lancaster  castle,  and  so  is  mine. 

THOMAS  CURTIS."* 

After  George  Fox  was  premunired,  as  related  in  the  fore- 
going chapter,  he  remained  at  Lancaster  about  six  weeks, 
when  an  order  was  sent  down  from  the  king,  through  the 
instigation  of  Colonel  Kirby,  and  others,  for  his  removal  to 
another  prison.  When  brought  out  for  this  purpose,  he  was 

*  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  XCVI. 


288  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

so  weak  from  long  confinement  in  the  cold  damp  castle,  that 
he  could  scarcely  stand ;  but  being  lifted  on  a  horse  by  the 
sheriff  and  his  attendants,  they  conveyed  him,  with  very  little 
regard  to  his  feelings,  to  the  city  of  York,  where  he  remained 
two  days.  He  was  then  placed  under  the  custody  of  a  mili- 
tary escort,  to  whom  he  preached  the  gospel,  Avhich  they  re- 
ceived kindly,  and  treated  him  with  civility.  From  York  he 
was  conveyed  to  Scarborough  Castle,  then  under  the  command 
of  Sir  Jordan  Crossland. 

Here  he  was  placed  in  a  room  so  open  to  the  weather,  and 
so  smoky,  that  he  said  to  the  governor,  who  was  a  Papist, 
"Thou  hast  placed  me  in  thy  purgatory."  After  having 
spent  fifty  shillings  in  repairing  the  apartment,  he  was  removed 
into  another  still  more  uncomfortable,  for  it  had  no  fire-place, 
and  being  very  open  on  the  side  next  to  the  sea,  the  rain  was 
driven  in  by  the  wind.  Having  no  fire  to  dry  his  clothing,  he 
was  benumbed  with  cold,  and  his  fingers  swelled  to  twice  their 
usual  size.  He  expended  some  money  to  repair  this  room  also, 
but  could  not  render  it  in  any  wise  comfortable ;  and  in  addi- 
tion to  his  other  grievances,  he  was  generally  denied  the 
company  of  his  friends,  and  often  deprived  of  the  food  sent 
for  his  sustenance.  A  three-penny  loaf  served  him  three 
weeks,  and  his  drink  was  water,  with  a  sprig  of  wormwood 
steeped  in  it.  He  told  the  keepers  of  the  castle  that  their 
conduct  towards  him  was  worse  than  that  of  the  heathen  to 
Paul;  for  when  the  apostle  was  prisoner  at  Rome,  he  was 
permitted  to  see  his  friends,  and  to  preach  in  his  own  hired 
house  to  all  who  would  come  to  him. 

Although  denied  the  company  of  his  friends,  he  was  allowed 
to  be  visited  by  others,  who,  from  motives  of  curiosity,  or  the 
love  of  disputation,  were  attracted  to  the  prison.  A  large 
company  of  Papists  having  once  come  to  see  him,  one  of  them 
said,  "  the  Pope  was  infallible,  and  had  stood  infallible  ever 
since  Peter's  time."  George  Fox  showed  him  the  contrary, 
from  history :  "  For  Marcellinus,  one  of  the  bishops  of  Rome, 
denied  the  faith  and  sacrificed  to  idols ;  therefore  he  was  not 


HIS   CONVERSATION   WITH   DOCTOR  WITTY.  289 

infallible.  And  moreover,  if  they  were  in  the  infallible  spirit, 
they  need  not  have  jails,  swords,  staves,  racks,  tortures,  fines, 
whips,  and  gallows,  to  hold  up  their  religion  by,  and  to  destroy 
men's  lives  about  religion ;  for  if  they  were  in  the  infallible 
spirit,  they  would  preserve  men's  lives,  and  use  none  but  spi- 
ritual weapons  about  religion."  He  then  related  to  them  what 
had  been  told  him  by  one  who  had  been  a  member  of  their 
society.  A  woman  who  lived  in  Kent  had  been  a  zealous 
Papist;  but  being  convinced  of  Friends'  principles,  she  ex- 
horted other  Papists  to  embrace  the  same.  One  of  them,  a 
'tailor,  being  at  work  at  her  house,  she  endeavoured  to  show 
him  the  errors  of  his  religion ;  but  he  drew  his  knife,  and  got 
between  her  and  the  door,  with  the  intention  of  stabbing  her. 
She  bade  him  "  put  up  his  knife,  for  she  knew  his  principle." 

Her  coolness  and  intrepidity  enabled  her  to  frustrate  his 
design,  but  she  assured  George  Fox  "  it  was  the  principle  of 
the  Papists,  if  any  turned  from  their  religion,  to  kill  them  if 
they  could." 

Another  Papist  who  came  to  converse  with  him  said,  "  All 
the  patriarchs  were  in  hell  till  Christ  came,  and  that  when 
Christ  suffered,  he  was  three  days  and  nights  in  hell,  to  bring 
them  out."  George  told  him  that  was  false,  for  Christ  said 
to  the  thief,  "  This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise." 
"And  Enoch  and  Elijah  were  translated  into  Heaven,  and 
Moses  and  Elias  were  with  Christ  on  the  mount,  before  he 
suffered." 

He  was  also  visited  by  Doctor  Witty,  a  zealous  Presbyte- 
rian, and  noted  physician,  who  was  accompanied  by  Lord 
Falconbridge  and  several  knights.  The  doctor  undertook  to 
discourse  with  George  Fox,  and  asked  him,  "  What  he  was  in 
prison  for?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Because  I  would  not  disobey  the  com- 
mand of  Christ,  and  swear." 

DOCTOR  W.  "  You  ought  to  swear  your  allegiance  to  the 
king." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Didst  thou  not  swear  against  the  king  and 
19 


290  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

House  of  Lords,  and  take  the  covenant ;  and  hast  thou  not 
since  sworn  for  the  king  ?  What  is  thy  swearing  good  for  ? 
As  for  me,  my  allegiance  does  not  consist  in  swearing,  but  in 
truth  and  faithfulness." 

The  doctor  and  his  company  then  withdrew,  but  he  after- 
wards boasted  among  his  patients,  that  he  had  conquered 
George  Fox  in  controversy.  This  being  repeated  to  George, 
he  said  to  the  governor,  "  It  was  a  small  boast  in  the  doctor 
to  say  he  had  conquered  a  bondman,"  adding,  "I  desire  him 
to  come  again."  He  accordingly  came  again,  accompanied 
by  sixteen  or  seventeen  persons  of  rank,  ,and  then,  in  conver- 
sation, he  affirmed  "  That  Christ  had  not  enlightened  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world ;  that  the  grace  of  God,  that 
brought  salvation,  had  not  appeared  unto  all  men,  and  that 
Christ  had  not  died  for  all  men." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  What  sort  of  men  are  those  whom  Christ 
hath  not  enlightened,  whom  his  grace  has  not  appeared  to, 
and  whom  he  has  not  died  for  ?" 

DOCTOR  WITTY.  "  Christ  did  not  die  for  adulterers,  idol- 
aters, and  wicked  men." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Are  not  adulterers  and  wicked  men 
sinners  ?" 

DOCTOR  WITTY.     "  Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Did  not  Christ  die  for  sinners  ?  Did  he 
not  come  to  call  sinners  to  repentance  ?" 

DOCTOR  WITTY.     "Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  Then  thou  hast  stopped  thy  own  mouth." 

Several  of  those  present  confessed  it  was  true,  and  the 
doctor,  being  disconcerted,  withdrew,  and  came  no  more. 

Another  time  the  governor  brought  a  priest,  but  he  was 
soon  silenced.  Not  long  after,  he  brought  two  or  three  mem- 
bers of  Parliament,  who  asked  George  "  Whether  he  owned 
ministers  or  bishops?"  He  replied,  "Yes,  such  as  Christ 
;sends ;  such  as  have  freely  received,  and  will  freely  give ;  such 
as  are  qualified,  and  are  in  the  same  power  and  spirit  the 
apostles  were  in.  But  such  bishops  and  teachers  as  yours, 


HIS  CONVERSATION  WITH  DOCTOR  CRADDOCK.     291 

that  will  go  no  further  than  a  great  benefice,  I  do  not  own, 
for  they  are  not  like  the  apostles.  Christ  saith  to  his  minis- 
ters, '  Go  ye  into  all  nations,  and  preach  the  gospel ;'  but  ye 
parliament-men,  who  keep  your  priests  and  bishops  in  such 
great  fat  benefices,  have  spoiled  them  all.  For  do  ye  think 
they  will  go  into  all  nations  to  preach,  or  that  they  will  go 
any  further  than  a  great  fat  benefice?  Judge  yourselves 
whether  they  will  or  not?" 

Another  of  his  visitors  was  the  widow  of  Lord  Fairfax,  and 
with  her  came  a  large  company,  one  of  whom  was  a  priest. 
"  I  was  moved,"  says  George  Fox,  "  to  declare  the  truth  to 
them,  and  the  priest  asked  me,  '  Why  we  said  Thou  and  Thee 
to  people  ?  for  he  counted  us  but  fools  and  idiots  for  speaking 
so.'  I  asked  him  'Whether  those  that  translated  the  scrip- 
tures, and  made  the  grammar  and  accidence,  were  fools  and 
idiots ;  seeing  they  translated  the  scriptures  so,  and  made  the 
grammar  so,  Thou  to  one,  and  You  to  more  than  one,  and 
left  it  so  to  us  ?  If  they  were  fools  and  idiots,  why  had  not 
he,  and  such  as  he,  who  looked  upon  themselves  as  wise  men, 
and  could  not  bear  Thou  and  Thee  to  a  single  person,  altered 
the  grammar,  accidence,  and  Bible,  and  put  the  plural  in- 
stead of  the  singular  ?'  '  Many  of  the  company  acknow- 
ledged the  truth  of  his  views,  and  would  have  given  him 
money,  but  he  refused  it. 

He  was  afterwards  visited  by  Doctor  Craddock,  an  Episco- 
pal priest,  whom  George,  in  the  early  part  of  his  religious 
career,  had  called  on  for  advice,  and  found  to  be  a  "  miserable 
comforter." 

Accompanied  by  three  other  clergymen,  he  now  came  to 
the  prison,  and  the  following  dialogue  ensued : 

DOCTOR  C.     "  What  are  you  in  prison  for  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  For  obeying  the  command  of  Christ  and 
the  apostle,  in  not  swearing.  But  if  thou,  being  both  a  doctor 
and  a  justice,  canst  convince  me  that,  after  Christ  and  the 
apostle  had  forbidden  swearing,  they  commanded  Christians  to 


292  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

swear,  then  I  will  swear.  Here  is  a  bible,  if  thou  canst  show 
me  any  such  command." 

DOCTOR.  "It  is  written,  'Ye  shall  swear  in  truth  and 
righteousness.' ' 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Ay,  it  was  written  so  in  Jeremiah's  time, 
but  that  was  many  ages  before  Christ  commanded  not  to 
swear  at  all ;  but  where  is  it  written  so  since  Christ  forbade 
all  swearing  ?  I  could  bring  as  many  instances  out  of  the 
Old  Testament  for  swearing  as  thou  canst,  and  it  may  be  more ; 
but  of  what  force  are  they  to  prove  swearing  lawful  in  the 
New  Testament,  since  Christ  and  the  apostle  forbade  it? 
Besides,  in  that  text  where  it  is  written, '  Ye  shall  swear,'  &c., 
what  ye  was  this?  Was  it  ye  Gentiles,  or  ye  Jews  ?" 

ONE  OF  THE  COMPANY.  "It  was  to  the  Jews  that  this  was 
spoken."  To  which  the  Doctor  assented. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Very  well ;  but  where  did  God  ever  com- 
mand the  Gentiles  to  swear  ?  for  thou  knowest  we  are  Gen- 
tiles by  nature." 

DOCTOR.  "Indeed,  in  the  gospel  times,  everything  was 
established  out  of  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses ;  but 
there  was  to  be  no  swearing  then." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Why,  then,  dost  thou  force  oaths  upon 
Christians,  contrary  to  thy  own  knowledge  in  the  gospel  times  ? 
And  why  dost  thou  excommunicate  my  friends  ?  (for  he  had 
excommunicated  abundance,  both  in  Yorkshire  and  Lan- 
cashire.") 

DOCTOR.     "For  not  coming  to  church." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Why  !  ye  left  us  about  twenty  years  ago, 
when  we  were  but  young  lads  and  lasses,  to  the  Presbyterians, 
Independents,  and  Baptists,  many  of  whom  made  spoil  of  our 
goods,  and  persecuted  us,  because  we  would  not  follow  them. 
We,  being  but  young,  knew  little  then  of  your  principles,  and 
if  ye  had  intended  to  keep  the  old  men,  that  did  know  them, 
to  yourselves,  and  to  have  kept  your  principles  alive,  that  we 
might  have  known  them,  ye  should  either  not  have  fled  from 
us,  as  ye  did,  or  you  should  have  sent  us  your  epistles,  collects, 


HIS  CONVERSATION  WITH  DOCTOR  CRADDOCK.    293 

homilies,  and  evening  songs ;  for  Paul  wrote  epistles  to  the 
saints,  though  he  was  in  prison.  But  they  and  we  might  have 
turned  Turks  or  Jews  for  any  collects,  homilies,  or  epistles  we 
had  from  you  all  this  while.  And  now  thou  hast  excommuni- 
cated us,  both  young  and  old,  and  so  have  others  of  ye  done ; 
that  is,  ye  have  put  us  out  of  your  church,  before  ye  have  got 
us  into  it ;  and  before  ye  have  brought  us  to  know  your  prin- 
ciples. Is  this  not  madness  in  you,  to  put  us  out  before  we 
were  brought  in  ?  Indeed,  if  ye  had  brought  us  into  your 
church,  and  when  we  had  been  in,  if  we  had  done  some  bad 
thing,  that  had  been  something  like  a  ground  for  excommuni- 
cation, or  putting  out  again.  But  what  dost  thou  call  the 
church?" 

DOCTOR.  "  Why,  that  which  you  call  the  steeple-house." 
GEORGE  Fox.  "  Did  Christ  shed  his  blood  for  the  steeple- 
house  ?  Did  he  purchase  and  sanctify  the  steeple-house,  with 
his  blood  ?  And  seeing  the  church  is  Christ's  bride  and  wife, 
and  that  he  is  the  head  of  the  church,  dost  thou  think  the 
steeple-house  is  Christ's  wife  and  bride,  and  that  he  is  the 
head  of  that  old  house,  or  of  his  people?" 

DOCTOR.  "  No ;  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  people,  and  they 
are  the  church." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  But  ye  have  given  the  title  of  church  to 
an  old  house,  which  properly  belongs  to  the  people,  and  ye 
have  taught  them  to  believe  so.  Why  do  ye  persecute 
Friends  for  not  paying  tithes  ?  .  Did  God  ever  command  the 
Gentiles  to  pay  tithes  ?  Did  not  Christ  end  tithes  when  he 
ended  the  Levitical  priesthood  that  took  tithes  ?  Christ,  when 
he  sent  his  disciples  to  preach,  did  he  not  command  them  to 
preach  freely,  as  he  had  given  them  freely  ?  And  are  not  all 
the  ministers  of  Christ,  bound  to  observe  this  command  of 
Christ?" 

DOCTOR.  "I  will  not  dispute  that."  Finding  himself 
pushed  upon  this  point,  he  quickly  turned  to  another  subject, 
and  said,  "You  marry,  but  I  know  not  how." 


294  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "It  may  be  so,  but  why  dost  thou  not 
come  and  see." 

The  doctor  then  threatened,  that  he  would  use  his  power 
and  influence  against  the  Quakers,  the  same  as  he  had  ever 
done. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Take  heed,  for  thou  art  an  old  man. 
Where  readest  thou  from  Genesis  to  Revelation,  that  ever  any 
priest  did  marry  people  ?  Show  us  some  instances  thereof, 
if  thou  would  have  us  come  to  thee  to  be  married.  Thou  hast 
excommunicated  one  of  my  friends,  two  years  after  he  was 
dead,  about  his  marriage ;  and  why  dost  thou  not  excommu- 
nicate Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  Boaz  and  Ruth  ?  For  we  do 
not  read  that  they  were  ever  married  by  priests :  but  took 
one  another  in  the  assemblies  of  the  righteous,  in  the  presence 
of  God  and  his  people ;  and  so  do  we.  So  that  we  have  all 
the  holy  men  and  women,  that  scripture  speaks  of  in  this 
practice,  on  our  side." 

The  doctor  finding  he  could  not  maintain  his  ground,  with- 
drew with  his  company.  "  With  such  people,"  says  George  Fox, 
"  I  had  much  discourse  while  I  was  there ;  for  most  that  came  to 
the  castle  would  desire  to  speak  to  me,  and  great  disputes  I 
had  with  them.  But  as  to  my  friends,  I  was  as  a  man  buried 
alive,  for  though  many  came  to  see  me,  few  were  suffered  to 
come  at  me ;  and  when  any  Friend  came  into  the  castle  about 
business,  if  he  looked  but  towards  me,  they  would  rage  at 
him." 

When  we  consider  the  peaceable  principles,  and  inoffensive 
demeanour  of  George  Fox,  it  seems  surprising  that  such 
severity  should  have  been  exercised  towards  him,  with  the 
approbation  of  men  who  stood  high  in  authority.  But  there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  Colonel  Kirby  and  others  of  his  ene- 
mies, had  grossly  calumniated  him  to  the  king  and  council, 
and  hence  the  orders  sent  down  from  London  to  keep  him  a 
close  prisoner.  It  was  a  time  when  plots  and  insurrections 
were  dreaded  by  the  government,  and  seeing  that  great  crowds 
of  non-conformists  everywhere  attended  on  his  ministry,  they 


THE   KING   LIBERATES   HIM.  295 

imagined  that  his  influence  might  be  exerted  for  political  pur- 
poses, and  to  the  detriment  of  the  crown. 

"The  officers,"  he  says,  "threatened  that  I  should  be 
hanged  over  the  wall.  Nay,  the  deputy-governor  told  me 
once  that  the  king,  knowing  that  I  had  great  interest  in  the 
people,  had  sent  me  thither,  that  if  there  should  be  any  stir- 
ring in  the  nation,  they  should  hang  me  over  the  wall  to  keep 
the  people  down." 

There  being  much  talk  of  a  design  to  hang  him,  he  told  them, 
"  If  that  was  what  they  desired,  and  it  was  permitted  them, 
he  was  ready,  for  he  never  feared  death  nor  sufferings  in  his 
life ;  but  he  was  known  to  be  an  innocent,  peaceable  man,  free 
from  all  plottings,  and  one  that  sought  the  good  of  all  men." 

The  governor,  who  at  first  had  treated  him  harshly  through 
prejudice,  became  on  further  acquaintance  interested  in  his 
favour ;  and  being  on  the  eve  of  leaving  for  London,  George 
Fox  desired  him  to  speak  to  Esquire  Marsh,  Sir  Francis  Cobb, 
and  others,  and  to  inform  them  how  long  he  had  been  in  pri- 
son. On  his  return,  he  reported  that  Esquire  Marsh  said, 
"  He  would  go  an  hundred  miles  barefoot  for  the  liberty  of 
George  Fox,"  and  that  several  others  had  spoken  well  of  him. 
At  length,  a  statement  of  his  imprisonment  and  sufferings 
being  drawn  up  by  two  of  his  friends,  John  Whitehead  and 
Ellis  Hookes,  it  was  carried  by  Esquire  Marsh  to  the  master 
of  requests,  who  procured  an  order  from  the  king  for  his  re- 
lease. John  Whitehead  hastened  with  it  to  Scarborough 
Castle ;  and  the  governor,  without  requiring  bond  or  sureties 
for  his  peaceable  living,  promptly  set  him  at  liberty,  and  gave 
him  the  following  passport : 

"Permit  the  bearer  hereof,  George  Fox,  late  a  prisoner 
here,  and  now  discharged  by  his  majesty's  order,  quietly  to 
pass  about  his  lawful  occasions,  without  any  molestation. 
Given  under  my  hand  at  Scarborough  Castle,  this  first  day 
of  September,  1666. 

JORDAN  CROSSLANDS, 

Governor  of  Scarborough  Castle." 


296  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

The  governor  would  receive  no  compensation  for  the  civility 
and  kindness  he  had  lately  shown  him ;  but  said,  "  Whatever 
good  he  could  do  to  him  and  his  friends,  he  would  do  it,  and 
would  never  do  them  any  hurt."  And  afterwards,  when  at 
any  time  the  mayor  of  the  town  sent  for  soldiers  to  break  up 
Friends'  meetings,  if  he  sent  any,  he  would  give  them  a  posi- 
tive charge  "  not  to  meddle."  He  continued  through  life  to 
be  kind  and  affectionate  to  Friends.  The  officers  and  soldiers 
of  the  castle  likewise  manifested  their  good  will  towards 
George  Fox,  saying,  when  they  spoke  of  him,  "  He  is  as  stiff 
as  a  tree,  and  as  pure  as  a  bell,  for  we  could  never  bow  him." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Great  Fire  in  London — Thomas  Ibbitt's  prophecy — Travels  of  George 
Fox — He  reproves  the  followers  of  J.  Perrot — Recommends  meetings 
for  discipline  throughout  the  Society — Meetings  of  Dissenters  pro- 
hibited by  proclamation — Conduct  of  Presbyterian  clergy — George 
Fox  visits  Esquire  Marsh — Conversation  with  a  Papist — Visits  Scar- 
borough— Travels  in  Ireland — Returns  to  England — His  marriage 
•with  Margaret  Fell. 

1666-9. 

SOON  after  leaving  Scarborough  Castle,  George  Fox  was 
informed  of  the  great  fire  in  London,  which  took  place  the 
next  day  after  his  release.  By  this  awful  conflagration,  four 
hundred  streets  were  strewed  with  ruins,  and  thirteen  thousand 
houses  reduced  to  ashes.*  The  inhabitants,  struck  with  dis- 
may, and  powerless  to  arrest  the  flames,  were  driven  from 
street  to  street;  and  abandoning  most  of  their  goods,  they 
were  glad  to  escape  with  their  lives. 

George  Fox,  while  imprisoned  at  Lancaster,  had  received 
an  evidence,  as  already  related,  that  a  great  calamity  was  im- 
pending over  the  southern  part  of  the  kingdom ;  but  a  still 

*  Hume's  Hist.  England. 


THE   GREAT   FIRE   OF   LONDON.  297 

more  remarkable  vision  was  witnessed  by  Thomas  Ibbitt, 
whose  prophecy  is  well  attested  and  recorded  by  several  con- 
temporary writers.*  This  Friend,  who  lived  in  Huntingdon- 
shire, came  to  London  a  few  days  before  the  fire,  and  alighting 
from  his  horse,  with  his  clothes  thrown  loosely  around  him 
like  one  dressed  in  haste,  he  went  up  and  down  the  streets  for 
two  days,  pronouncing  a  judgment  by  fire,  which  should  lay 
waste  the  city.  On  the  evening  after  he  had  been  thus  en- 
gaged, some  of  the  Friends,  apprehensive  that  he  might  be 
under  a  delusion,  obtained  an  interview  with  him,  when  he 
related  to  them  that,  some  time  before,  he  had  had  a  vision  of 
the  fire,  but  had  delayed  to  come  and  declare  it  as  com- 
manded ;  until,  as  he  expressed  it,  "  the  fire  was  felt  in  his 
own  bosom." 

On  the  event  taking  place  in  exact  accordance  with  his  pre- 
diction, it  appears  that  he  lost  the  proper  balance  of  his  mind, 
or  was  affected  with  some  degree  of  spiritual  pride ;  for  the 
fire  having  reached  the  east  end  of  Cheapside,  he  stood  before 
the  flames  with  outstretched  arms,  as  if  to  stay  their  progress. 
Some  of  his  friends,  apprehensive  that  he  would  be  consumed, 
snatched  him  away,  and  thus  his  life  was  preserved.  He  after- 
wards came  to  see  and  acknowledge  his  presumption,  and  his 
case  affords  an  instructive  warning  to  those  who  are  employed 
as  messengers  of  the  Most  High,  that  they  have  no  less  need 
than  others  to  walk  in  humility,  and  to  wait  for  the  pointings 
of  Divine  Truth. 

George  Fox,  being  now  at  liberty,  resumed  his  labours  in 
the  gospel  ministry.  He  had  a  meeting  at  Scarborough, 
which  was  attended  by  several  persons  of  rank,  one  of  whom, 
"called  a  lady,"  objected  that  he  spoke  against  the  ministers. 
He  said  to  her  in  reply,  "  Such  as  the  prophets  and  Christ 
declared  against  formerly,  I  declare  against  now."  After 
holding  several  other  meetings,  he  says:  "Next  day,  two 
Friends  being  to  take  each  other  in  marriage,  there  was  a 
very  great  meeting,  which  I  attended.  I  was  moved  to  open 

*  G.  Whitehead,  31-7.    Sewel,  II.  141.    G.  Fox,  II.  75. 


298  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  state  of  our  marriages,  declaring  '  How  the  people  of  God 
took  one  another  in  the  assemblies  of  the  elders  ;  and  that  it 
was  God  who  joined  man  and  woman  together  before  the  fall. 
And  though  men  had  taken  upon  them  to  join  in  the  fall,  yet 
in  the  restoration  it  is  God's  joining  that  is  the  right  and  hon- 
ourable marriage ;  but  never  any  priest  did  marry  any,  that 
we  read  of  in  the  scriptures,  from  Genesis  to  Revelations.' 
Then  I  showed  them  the  duty  of  man  and  wife,  how  they 
should  serve  God,  being  heirs  of  life  and  grace  together." 

Continuing  his  travels,  he  visited  Friends  on  his  route,  till 
he  came  to  York,  in  which  city  he  had  a  large  meeting,  and 
from  thence  he  passed  on  to  Snyder-hill-green,  where  there 
was  a  General  Meeting  of  Friends.  The  priest  of  the  place 
hearing  of  it,  sent  the  constables  to  obtain  a  warrant  for  the 
apprehension  of  Friends ;  but,  although  they  rode  so  hard  as 
almost  to  spoil  their  horses,  yet  having  but  a  short  notice,  and 
far  to  go,  they  did  not  return  till  the  meeting  was  ended.  On 
his  way  from  the  meeting,  George  Fox  met  the  constables,  the 
wardens,  and  the  justice's  clerk,  who,  not  knowing  him,  suf- 
fered him  to  pass,  and  thus  he  escaped.  "  For,"  he  says, 
"  the  Lord  frustrated  their  design,  blessed  be  his  name  for- 
ever." 

After  passing  through  many  counties,  holding  large  and 
precious  meetings,  and  visiting  his  relatives  in  Leicestershire,  he 
came  to  London.  "  I  was  so  weak,"  he  says,  "with  lying,  almost 
three  years,  in  cruel  and  hard  imprisonments,  my  joints  and 
my  body  were  so  stiff  and  benumbed,  that  I  could  hardly  get 
upon  my  horse,  nor  bend  my  joints,  nor  well  bear  to  be  near 
the  fire,  nor  to  eat  warm  meat,  I  had  been  so  long  kept  from 
it.  Being  come  to  London,  I  walked  a  little  among  the  ruins, 
and  took  good  notice  of  them.  I  saw  the  city  lying,  accord- 
ing as  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  me  concerning  it  several 
years  before." 

Having  attended  the  meetings  of  Friends  in  the  metropo- 
lis, he  went  into  the  country  again,  visiting  meetings,  until  he 
came  to  Bristol,  where,  during  the  fair,  he  had  much  religious 


MEETINGS   FOR   DISCIPLINE.  299 

service,  and  then  returned  to  London,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  1666. 

"About  this  time,"  he  writes,  in  his  Journal,  "some  who 
had  run  out  from  truth,  and  clashed  against  Friends,  were 
reached  unto  by  the  power  of  the  Lord,  which  came  wonder- 
fully over  and  made  them  '  condemn  and  tear  their  papers  of 
controversy  in  pieces.'  Several  meetings  we  had  with  them, 
the  Lord's  everlasting  power  was  over  all,  and  set  judgment 
on  the  head  of  that  which  had  run  out.  In  these  meetings, 
which  lasted  whole  days,  several  who  had  gone  out  with  John 
Perrot  and  others,  came  in  again,  and  condemed  that  spirit 
which  had  led  them  to  'keep  on  their  hats  when  Friends 
prayed,  and  when  themselves  prayed.'*  Some  of  them  said, 
'  Friends  were  more  righteous  than  they ;'  and  that '  If  Friends 
had  not  stood,  they  had  been  gone,  and  had  fallen  into  per- 
dition.' Thus  the  Lord's  power  was  wonderfully  manifested, 
and  came  over  all." 

During  this  year,  he  was  called,  by  a  sense  of  religious 
duty,  to  aid  the  Society  in  the  institution  of  meetings  for  dis- 
cipline. He  recommended  the  establishment  of  five  monthly 
meetings,  for  men  and  women,  in  the  city  of  London,  and 
after  they  were  well  settled,  he  travelled  into  other  parts  of 
the  nation,  and  wrote  to  Friends  beyond  sea,  in  order  to  pro- 
mote the  same  object.  A  more  particular  account  of  these 
meetings,  and  of  his  services  in  their  institution,  will  be  found 
in  the  Dissertation  on  Christian  Discipline,  at  the  end  of  this 
volume. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  principles  of  church  govern- 
ment, established  among  Friends,  and  most  of  the  provisions 
in  their  code  of  discipline,  were  adopted  at  the  suggestion  of 
George  Fox,  and  although  every  Yearly  Meeting  is  at  liberty 
to  repeal  them,  so  far  as  its  own  members  are  concerned,  yet 
they  have  remained  in  force  nearly  two  hundred  years, 

*  For  a  further  account  of  John  Perrot,  see  Janney's  Life  of  W. 
Penn,  Chap.  VI. ;  SewePs  History  of  the  Quakers,  and  T.  Ellwood's 
Life ;  also,  Epistle  CCXIV  of  George  Fox,  in  7th  volume  of  his  Works. 


300  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

affording  a  strong  evidence  that  they  were  founded  in 
wisdom. 

'  In  the  year  1667,  there  was  a  proclamation  issued  against 
the  meetings  of  Dissenters,  and  as  George  Fox  came  through 
Herefordshire,  he  was  told  of  a  great  meeting  of  Presbyte- 
rians, who  had  engaged  to  stand,  and  give  up  all,  rather  than 
forsake  their  meetings.  Notwithstanding  the  proclamation, 
the  people  attended,  but  they  found  their  preacher  had  aban- 
doned his  post  and  fled. 

Among  the  Presbyterian  ministers  in  London,  was  one 
named  Pocock,  who  had  been  much  opposed  to  Friends,  and 
used  to  call  them  house-creepers.  He  married  Abigail  Darcy 
a  person  of  rank,  and  she  being  convinced  of  Friends'  princi- 
ples, George  Fox  went  to  see  them.  She  said  to  him  in  the 
presence  of  her  husband,  "I  have  something  to  speak  to  thee 
against  my  husband."  "Nay,"  said  George,  "thou  must  not 
speak  against  thy  husband."  "Yes,"  said  she,  "but  I  must 
in  this  case.  The  last  First-day,  he,  his  priests  and  people, 
the  Presbyterians,  met ;  they  had  candles,  tobacco-pipes, 
bread,  cheese  and  cold  meat  on  the  table ;  and  they  agreed 
beforehand,  if  the  officers  should  come  in  upon  them,  they 
would  leave  their  preaching  and  praying,  and  fall  to  their  cold 
meat." 

GEORGE  Fox,  (turning  to  her  husband.)  "  Is  not  this  a 
shame  to  you  who  imprisoned  us,  and  spoiled  our  goods, 
because  we  would  not  join  you  in  your  religion,  and  called  us 
house-creepers,  that  ye  do  not  stand  to  your  own  religion 
yourselves  ?  Did  ye  ever  find  our  meetings  stuffed  with  bread 
and  cheese  and  tobacco-pipes  ?  Or  did  ye  ever  read  in  the 
scriptures  of  any  such  practice  among  the  saints?" 

POCOCK.     "  Why,  we  must  be  as  wise  as  serpents." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  This  is  the  serpent's  wisdom  indeed. 
But  who  would  have  thought  that  you  Presbyterians,  and 
Independents,  who  persecuted  and  imprisoned  others,  spoiled 
their  goods,  and  whipped  such  as  would  not  follow  your  reli- 
gion, should  now  flinch  yourselves,  and  not  dare  to  stand  to 


HIS  EXTENSIVE  LABOUKS.  301 

your  own  religion,  but  cover  it  with  tobacco-pipes,  flagons 
of  drink,  cold  meat,  and  bread  and  cheese  !"  "But  this,  and 
such  like  deceitful  practices,"  he  adds,  "were  too  common 
amongst  them  in  times  of  persecution." 

While  in  London,  he  exhorted  Friends  to  have  all  marriages 
among  them  proposed  in  their  meetings  for  discipline,  that 
care  might  be  taken  to  have  them  accomplished  in  an  orderly 
manner  with  consent  of  parents,  and  that  widows  marrying 
again  should  have  the  rights  of  their  children  by  a  former  hus- 
band properly  secured.  His  attention  was,  about  the  same 
time,  directed  to  the  subject  of  educating  the  children  of 
Friends,  in  a  manner  consistent  with  their  religious  profession, 
and  in  those  branches  of  learning  which  are  most  useful. 
For  this  purpose,  he  recommended  the  establishment  of  a 
school  for  boys  at  Waltham,  and  one  for  girls  at  Shackelwell. 

During  the  year  1667  and  '68,  he  was  assiduously  engaged 
in  the  gospel  ministry,  traversing  almost  every  part  of  Eng- 
land and  Wales,  and  aiding  in  the  establishment  of  meetings 
for  discipline.  The  result  of  his  labours  was  most  salutary 
and  encouraging ;  and  he  writes  in  his  Journal,  "  Since  these 
meetings  have  been  settled,  many  mouths  have  been  opened  in 
thanksgiving  and  praise,  and  many  have  blessed  the  Lord  that 
he  sent  me  forth  in  that  service ;  yea,  with  tears  have  many 
praised  him.  For  coming  to  have  a  concern  and  care  for 
God's  honour  and  glory,  that  his  name  be  not  blasphemed, 
which  they  profess,  and  to  see  that  all  who  profess  the  truth, 
walk  in  the  truth,  in  righteousness  and  holiness,  which  becomes 
the  house  of  God,  and  that  all  order  their  conversation  aright 
that  they  may  see  the  salvation  of  God  ;  all  having  this  care 
upon  them  for  God's  glory,  and  being  exercised  in  his  holy 
power  and  spirit,  in  the  order  of  the  heavenly  life  and  gospel 
of  Jesus,  they  may  all  see  and  know,  possess  and  partake 
of  the  government  of  Christ,  of  the  increase  of  which  there 
is  to  be  no  end.  Thus  the  Lord's  everlasting  renown  and 
praise  is  set  up  in  every  one's  heart  that  is  faithful ;  so  that 
we  can  say,  the  gospel  order  established  amongst  us  is  not  of 


302  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

man  nor  by  man,  but  of  and  by  Jesus  Christ,  in  and  through 
the  Holy  Ghost." 

Having  returned  to  London  in  1668,  he  spent  some  time 
there  visiting  meetings.  While  in  the  city  he  called  to  see 
his  friend  Marsh,  who  had  kindly  assisted  in  obtaining  his 
release  from  Scarborough  Castle.  It  happened  to  be  at  the 
hour  of  dinner,  and  he  was  kindly  invited  to  dine  with  them, 
but  not  feeling  freedom  to  do  so,  he  courteously  declined,  as 
was  his  usual  practice,  when  such  attentions  were  offered  him 
by  the  great.  Several  persons  of  rank  were  at  dinner  with 
Esquire  Marsh,  and  he  said  to  one  of  them,  who  was  a  Papist : 
"Here  is  a  Quaker  you  have  not  seen  before." 

PAPIST.     "  Do  you  own  the  christening  of  children  ?" 
GEORGE  Fox.     "  There  is  no  scripture  for  any  such  prac- 
tice." 

PAPIST.     "What!  not  for  christening  children?" 
GEORGE  Fox.     "  Nay.     The  one  baptism  by  the  one  spirit 
into  one  body  we  own ;  but  to  throw  a  little  water  on  a  child's 
face,  and  say,  that  is  baptizing  and  christening  it,  there  is  no 
scripture  for  that." 

PAPIST.  "  Do  you  own  the  catholic  faith  ?" 
GEORGE  Fox.  "  Yes ;  but  neither  the  Pope  nor  the  papists 
are  in  the  catholic  faith ;  for  the  true  faith  works  by  love, 
and  purifies  the  heart ;  and  if  they  were  in  that  faith  which 
gives  victory,  by  which  they  might  have  access  to  God,  they 
would  not  tell  the  people  of  a  purgatory  after  they  were 

dead." "For  the  true,  precious,  divine  faith,  of 

which  Christ  is  the  author,  gives  victory  over  the  devil,  and 
sin,  that  separated  man  and  woman  from  God.  And  if  the 
papists  were  in  the  true  faith,  they  would  never  use  racks, 
prisons,  and  fines,  to  persecute  and  force  others  to  their  reli- 
gion, who  were  not  of  their  faith.  This  was  not  the  practice 
of  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians,  who  witnessed  and 
enjoyed  the  true  faith  of  Christ ;  but  it  was  the  practice  of 
the  faithless  Jews  and  heathens  to  do  so.  But,  seeing  thou 
art  a  great  leading  man  amongst  the  papists,  and  hast  been 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  A   PAPIST.  303 

taught  and  bred  up  under  the  Pope,  and  seeing  thou  sayest, 
1  There  is  no  salvation  but  in  your  church,'  I  desire  to  know 
of  thee,  what  it  is  that  doth  bring  salvation  in  your  church." 

PAPIST.     "  A  good  life." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  And  nothing  else  ?" 

PAPIST.     "  Yes ;  good  works." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  Is  this  your  doctrine  and  principle  ?" 

PAPIST.     "Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Then,  neither  thou,  nor  the  Pope,  nor  any 
of  the  papists,  know  what  it  is  that  brings  salvation." 

PAPIST.     "What  brings  salvation  in  your  church?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "That  which  brought  salvation  to  the 
church  in  the  apostles'  days,  the  same  which  brings  salvation 
to  us,  and  nothing  else;  namely,  'the  grace  of  God,'  which 
the  scripture  says,  'brings  salvation,  and  hath  appeared  to 
all  men,'  which  taught  the  saints  then,  and  teaches  us  now. 
This  grace,  which  brings  salvation,  teaches  '  to  deny  ungodli- 
ness and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  godly,  righteously,  and 
soberly.'  So  it  is  not  the  good  works,  nor  the  good  life,  that 
brings  salvation,  but  the  grace." 

PAPIST.  "  What !  does  this  grace  that  bringeth  salvation, 
appear  unto  all  men  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "Yes." 

PAPIST.     "  I  deny  that." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  All  that  deny  that  are  sect-makers,  and  are 
not  in  the  universal  faith,  grace,  and  truth,  which  the  apostles 
were  in."  Then  he  spoke  to  me  about  the  mother-church. 
I  told  him,  "The  several  sects  in  Christendom  had  accused 
us,  and  said,  'We  forsook  our  mother-church.'  The  papists 
charged  us  with  forsaking  their  church,  saying,  'Rome  was 
the  only  mother- church.'  The  Episcopalians  taxed  us  with 
forsaking  the  old  Protestant  religion,  alleging,  '  Theirs  was 

the  reformed  mother-church.' But  I  said,  'If  we 

could  own  any  outward  place  to  be  the  mother-church,  we 
should  own  Jerusalem,  where  the  gospel  was  first  preached  by 
Christ  himself  and  the  apostles,  where  Christ  suffered,  where 


304  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

the  great  conversion  to  Christianity  by  Peter  was,  where  were 
the  types,  figures,  and  shadows,  which  Christ  ended,  and 
where  Christ  commanded  his  disciples  to  wait  until  they  were 
endued  with  power  from  on  high.  If  any  outward  place  de- 
served to  be  called  the  mother,  that  was  the  place  where  the 
first  great  conversion  to  Christianity  was.  But  the  apostle 
saith,  Gal.  iv.  25,  26,  '  Jerusalem  Avhich  now  is,  is  in  bondage 
with  her  children;  but  Jerusalem  which  is  abgve,  is  free,' 
which  is  the  mother  of  us  all.  For  it  is  written,  '  Rejoice, 
thou  barren,  that  bearest  not ;  break  forth  and  cry,  them  that 
travailest  not ;  for  the  desolate  hath  many  more  children  than 
she  that  hath  an  husband,'  ver.  27.  The  apostle  doth  not  say 
outward  Jerusalem  was  the  mother,  though  the  first  and  great 
conversion  to  Christianity  was  there ;  and  there  is  less  reason 
for  the  title  mother  to  be  given  to  Rome,  or  to  any  other  out- 
ward place  or  city,  by  the  children  of  Jerusalem  that  is  above 
and  free ;  neither  are  they  Jerusalem's  children  that  is  above 
and  free,  who  give  the  title  of  mother  either  to  outward  Jeru- 
salem, to  Rome,  or  to  any  other  place  or  sect  of  people.  And 
though  this  title  (mother)  hath  been  given  to  places  and  sects 
by  the  degenerate  Christians,  yet  we  say  still,  as  the  apostle 
said  of  old,  '  Jerusalem  that  is  above  is  the  mother  of  us  all.' 
We  can  own  no  other,  neither  outward  Jerusalem,  nor  Rome, 
nor  any  sect  of  people,  for  our  mother,  but  Jerusalem  which  is 
above ;  which  is  free,  the  mother  of  all  that  are  born  again, 
become  true  believers  in  the  light,  and  are  grafted  into  Christ, 
the  heavenly  vine.  For  all  who  are  born  again  of  the  immor- 
tal seed,  by  the  word  of  God,  which  lives  and  abides  forever, 
feed  upon  the  milk  of  the  word,  the  breast  of  life,  grow  by  it 
in  life ;  and  cannot  acknowledge  any  other  to  be  their 
mother,  but  Jerusalem  which  is  above.'  '  Oh !'  said  Squire 
Marsh  to  the  Papist,  'you  do  not  know  this  man.  If  he 
would  but  come  to  church  now  and  then,  he  would  be  a  brave 
man.' 

"After  some  other  discourse,  I  went   aside  with  Justice 
Marsh  to  another  room,  to  speak  with  him  concerning  Friends ; 


y 
CONVERSATION  WITH   JUSTICE   MARSH.  305 

for  he  was  a  justice  of  peace  for  Middlesex,  and  being  a  cour- 
tier, the  other  justices  put  much  of  the  management  of  affairs 
upon  him.  He  told  me  '  he  was  in  a  strait  how  to  act 
between  us  and  some  other  dissenters.  For,'  said  he,  'you 
cannot  swear ;  and  the  Independents,  Baptists,  and  Fifth- 
monarchy  people  say  also,  '  They  cannot  swear ;'  therefore,' 
said  he,  '  how  shall  I  distinguish  betwixt  you  and  them,  seeing 
they  and  you  all  say,  '  It  is  for  conscience'  sake  that  you  can- 
not swear  ?'  I  answered,  '  I  will  show  thee  how  to  distinguish. 
They,  or  most  of  them  thou  speakest  of,  can  and  do  swear  in 
some  cases,  but  we  cannot  swear  in  any  case.  If  a  man  should  . 
steal  their  cows  and  horses,  and  thou  shouldst  ask  them  whe- 
ther they  would  swear  they  were  theirs,  many  of  them  would 
readily  do  it ;  but  if  thou  try  our  friends,  they  cannot  swear 
for  their  own  goods.  Therefore,  when  thou  puttest  the  oath 
of  allegiance  to  any  of  them,  ask  them  'Whether  they  can 
swear  in  any  other  case,  as  for  their  cow  or  horse  ?'  Which, 
if  they  be  really  of  us,  they  cannot  do,  though  they  can  bear 
witness  to  the  truth.'  I  gave  him  a  relation  of  a  trial  in 
Berkshire,  which  was  thus :  A  thief  stole  two  beasts  from  a 
friend  of  ours.  The  thief  was  taken,  and  cast  into  prison, 
and  the  Friend  appeared  against  him  at  the  assizes.  But 
somebody  having  informed  the  judge  that  the  prosecutor  was 
a  Quaker,  and  could  not  swear,  the  judge,  before  he  heard  the 
Friend,  said,  'Is  he  a  Quaker ?  And  will  he  not  swear ? 
Then  tender  him  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  supremacy.'  So 
he  cast  the  Friend  into  prison,  and  premunired  him,  and  set 
the  thief  at  liberty.'  Justice  Marsh  said,  'That  judge  was  a 
wicked  man.'  'But,'  said  I,  'if  we  could  swear  in  any  case, 
we  would  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  king,  who  is  to 
preserve  the  laws  that  are  to  support  every  man  in  his  estate. 
Whereas  others,  that  can  swear  in  some  cases,  to  preserve  a 
part  of  their  estates,  if  they  be  robbed,  will  not  take  this  oath 
to  the  king,  who  is  to  preserve  them  in  their  whole  estates, 
and  bodies  also.  So  that  thou  mayest  easily  distinguish  and 
put  a  difference  betwixt  us  and  those  people.'  Justice  Marsh 
20 


306  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

was  afterwards  very  serviceable  to  Friends,  in  this  and  other 
cases ;  for  he  kept  several,  both  Friends  and  others,  from 
being  premunired:  and  when  Friends  were  brought  before 
him,  in  time  of  persecution,  he  set  many  of  them  at  liberty. 
When  he  could  not  avoid  sending  to  prison,  he  sent  some  for 
a  few  hours,  or  a  night.  At  length  he  went  to  the  king,  and 
told  him  '  He  had  sent  some  of  us  to  prison,  contrary  to  his 
conscience,  and  he  could  not  do  so  any  more.'  Therefore  he 
removed  his  family  from  Limehouse,  where  he  lived,  and  took 
lodgings  near  James's  Park.  He  told  the  king,  '  If  he  would 
be  pleased  to  give  liberty  of  conscience,  that  would  quiet  and 
settle  all ;  for  then  none  could  have  any  pretence  to  be  un- 
easy.' And  indeed  he  was  a  very  serviceable  man  to  truth 
and  Friends  in  his  day." 

In  the  year  1669,  George  Fox  writes  in  his  Journal,  "  We 
had  great  service  in  London  this  year ;  the  Lord's  truth  came 
over  all.  Many  who  had  gone  out  from  Truth  came  in  again 
this  year,  confessing  and  condemning  their  outgoings."  The 
following  letter  relates  to  the  same  subject : 

JOHN  ROUSE  TO  HIS  SISTER-IN-LAW,  SARAH  FELL. 

Newington,  15th  of  llth  month,  1668, ) 
(First  month,  1669.)      ) 

DEAR  SISTER  : — We  have  had  several  precious  meetings 
since  the  General  Meeting  for  the  gathering  of  those  that  are 
gone  astray,  in  which  the  power  and  glory  so  irresistibly  broke 
in  upon  them,  that  many  of  them  were  very  much  broken,  and 
gave  open  testimonies  against  that  spirit  which  had  seduced 
them  from  the  unity  of  Friends,  very  much  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  faithful :  and  the  power  wrought  so  effectually  among 
them,  that  Friends  had  little  need  to  set  forth  the  evil  of  the 
course  they  had  followed ;  for  they  themselves  gave  sufficient 
testimony  of  the  evil  thereof;  and  the  bowels  of  Friends  were 
so  enlarged  towards  them,  that  I  believe  there  will  be  meet- 
ings appointed  for  the  gathering  of  them  so  long  as  any  that 


HIS   VISIT   TO  .IRELAND.  307 

are  honest  among  them  are  left  ungathered.  Thy  dearly- 
loving  brother,  J.  ROUSE."  * 

Leaving  London,  George  Fox  visited  meetings  in  Surrey 
and  Sussex,  and  returning  thence,  he  passed  through  the 
midland  and  northern  counties  to  York  Quarterly  Meeting. 
Friends  had,  in  Yorkshire,  seven  monthly  meetings,  which 
had  proved  to  be  so  serviceable,  that,  at  their  request,  seven 
more  were  established,  for  their  principles  were  widely  spread 
in  that  county. 

Pursuing  his  journey,  he  came  to  Scarborough,  and  Sir 
Jordan  Croslands,  the  governor  of  the  castle  where  he  had 
been  so  long  a  prisoner,  sent  him  an  invitation  to  his  house, 
saying,  "  He  hoped  he  would  not  be  so  unkind  as  not  to  visit 
him  and  his  wife."  After  attending  meeting  there,  he  went 
to  the  governor's,  and  was  received  with  courtesy  and  kind- 
ness. Coming  into  the  neighbourhood  of  Col.  Kirby,  he 
understood  that  his  old  persecutor  was  still  making  threats 
against  him,  and  had  offered  a  reward  of  forty  pounds  for  his 
arrest,  but  through  divine  mercy  he  was  preserved  out  of  his 
hands. 

In  this  year  he  was  led  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  pay  a  religious 
visit  to  Ireland,  and,  being  accompanied  by  Robert  Lodge, 
James  Lancaster,  Thomas  Briggs,  and  John  Stubbs,  he  em- 
barked at  Liverpool.  The  master  of  the  ship  and  many  of 
the  passengers  were  kindly  disposed,  and  being  at  sea  on  a 
First-day,  George  Fox  was  moved  to  address  them  on  the 
momentous  truths  of  religion,  upon  which  the  captain  said  to 
the  passengers,  "  Come,  here  are  things  that  you  never  heard 
in  your  lives." 

At  Dublin,  the  Friends  received  him  and  his  companions 
with  joy,  and  after  attending  a  meeting  in  the  city,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Province  meeting,  which  continued  two  days, 
and  was  eminently  favoured  with  the  evidence  of  Divine  life 
and  love.  Passing  on  from  thence,  they  came  to  another 
town,  and  held  a  meeting,  after  which  some  Papists  mani- 

*  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  LXII. 


308  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

fested  great  hostility  towards  Friends,  whereupon  George  Fox 
sent  a  challenge  to  their  priests,  to  come  forth  and  "  try  their 
God  and  their  Christ  which  they  made  of  bread  and  wine." 
No  answer  being  received,  he  remarked  that  "They  were 
worse  than  the  priests  of  Baal ;  for  Baal's  priests  tried  their 
wooden  god,  but  these  durst  not  try  their  god  of  bread  and 
wine ;  and  Baal's  priests  and  people  did  not  eat  their  god,  as 
these  did,  and  then  make  another."  At  many  places  on  his 
route,  spies  were  set  to  watch  his  steps,  and  to  give  informa- 
tion of  his  meetings.  At  Cork  especially,  he  was  exposed  to 
much  peril,  for  the  mayor,  who  had  already  imprisoned  many 
Friends,  issued  four  warrants  for  his  apprehension,  and  he  was 
advised  not  to  enter  the  city ;  but,  feeling  assured  of  Divine 
protection,  he  rode  through  the  market-place,  and  passed  the 
mayor's  door  without  molestation. 

After  alluding  to  the  many  dangers  that  attended  him,  he 
says,  in  his  Journal,  "Yet  the  Lord  disappointed  all  their 
counsels,  defeated  all  their  designs  against  me,  and  by  his 
good  hand  of  providence,  preserved  me  out  of  all  their  snares, 
and  gave  us  many  sweet  and  blessed  opportunities  to  visit 
Friends,  and  spread  truth  through  that  nation.  For  meetings 
were  very  large,  Friends  coming  to  them  far  and  near ;  and 
other  people  flocking  in.  The  powerful  presence  of  the  Lord 
was  preciously  felt  with  and  amongst  us ;  whereby  many  of 
the  world  were  reached,  convinced,  gathered  to  the  truth,  and 
the  Lord's  flock  was  increased;  and  Friends  were  greatly 
refreshed  and  comforted  in  feeling  the  love  of  God.  Oh  !  the 
brokenness  that  was  amongst  them  in  the  flowing  of  life  !  So 
that,  in  the  power  and  spirit  of  the  Lord,  many  together 
broke  out  into  singing,  even  with  audible  voices,  making 
melody  in  their  hearts." 

While  at  James  Hutchinson's,  in  Ireland,  many  persons 
came  to  discourse  with  him  concerning  the  doctrine  of  election 
and  reprobation.  He  explained  it  to  them  in  a  satisfactory 
manner,  showing  that  "  The  election  stands  in  Christ,"  and 


HIS    MARRIAGE.  309 

pertains  to  those  who  are  united  to  him  by  being  born  again 
of  his  spirit.* 

On  his  return  from  Ireland,  he  landed  at  Liverpool,  and 
passing  through  Lancashire,  he  "  had  many  precious  meet- 
ings," and  proceeded  to  Bristol,  where  he  met  with  Margaret 
Fell,  then  on  a  visit  to  one  of  her  daughters. 

It  had  now  been  about  a  year  since  she  was,  by  the  king's 
order,  liberated  from  Lancaster  castle,  where  she  had  suffered 
four  years  imprisonment,  under  sentence  of  premunire.  She 
and  George  Fox  had  long  been  intimately  acquainted,  and  it 
had  been  a  considerable  time  since  he  had  informed  her  that 
he  believed  it  would  be  right  for  them  to  take  each  other  in 
marriage,  to  which  she  assented ;  but,  in  their  apprehension, 
the  proper  time  was  not  then  come.  "Wherefore,"  he  says, 
"  I  let  the  thing  rest,  and  went  on  in  the  work  and  service  of 
the  Lord,  according  as  he  led  me ;  travelling  in  this  nation, 
and  through  Ireland.  But  now  being  at  Bristol,  and  finding 
Margaret  Fell  there,  it  opened  in  me  from  the  Lord  that  the 
thing  should  be  accomplished.  After  we  had  discoursed  the 
matter  together,  I  told  her,  '  If  she  also  was  satisfied  with  the 
accomplishing  of  it  now,  she  should  first  send  for  her  chil- 
dren;' which  she  did.  When  the  rest  of  her  daughters  were 
come,  I  asked  both  them  and  her  sons-in-law,  if  they  had 
anything  against  it,  or  for  it  ?  and  they  all  severally  expressed 
their  satisfaction  therewith.  Then  I  asked  Margaret,  '  If  she 
had  fulfilled  her  husband's  will  to  her  children  ?'  She  replied, 
'  The  children  knew  she  had.'  Whereupon  I  asked  them, 
'  Whether,  if  their  mother  married,  they  should  not  lose  by 
it  ?'  I  asked  Margaret,  '  Whether  she  had  done  anything  in 
lieu  of  it,  which  might  answer  it  to  the  children  ?'  The  chil- 
dren said,  '  She  had  answered  it  to  them,'  and  desired  me  to 
speak  no  more  of  it.  I  told  them  '  I  was  plain,  and  would 
have  all  things  done  plainly :  for  I  sought  not  any  outward 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Doctrines — section,  Original  and  present  state 
of  man. 


310  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

advantage  to  myself.'  So  our  intention  of  marriage  was  laid 
before  Friends,  both  privately  and  publicly,  to  their  full  satis- 
faction, many  of  whom  gave  testimony  that  it  was  of  God. 
Afterwards,  a  meeting  being  appointed  on  purpose  for  the 
accomplishing  thereof,  in  the  public  meeting-house  at  Broad- 
Mead,  in  Bristol,  we  took  each  other  in  marriage,  the  Lord 
joining  us  together  in  the  honourable  marriage,  in  the  ever- 
lasting covenant  and  immortal  seed  of  life.  In  the  sense 
whereof,  living  and  weighty  testimonies  were  borne  thereunto 
by  Friends  in  the  movings  of  the  heavenly  power,  which 
united  us  together."* 

At  the  time  of  their  marriage,  George  Fox  was  45  years 
of  age,  and  his  wife  55,  she  having  been  a  widow  11  years. 

"We  staid,"  he  says,  "about  a  week  in  Bristol,  and  then 
went  together  to  Oldstone  :  where,  taking  leave  of  each  other 
in  the  Lord,  we  parted,  betaking  ourselves  each  to  our  several 
service ;  Margaret  returning  homewards  to  the  north,  and  I 
passing  on  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  as  before.  I  travelled 
through  Wiltshire,  Berkshire,  Oxfordshire,  Buckinghamshire, 
and  so  to  London,  visiting  Friends :  in  all  which  counties  I 
had  many  large  and  precious  meetings." 

*  The  marriage  certificate,  being  a  document  of  some  interest,  is  here 
subjoined :  — 

"THESE  ARE  TO  SIGNIFY  unto  all  whom  this  may  concern,  that  on 
the  eighteenth  day  of  the  eighth  month,  in  the  year  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred sixty-nine,  George  Fox  and  Margarett  ffell,  propounded  their  intentions 
of  joininge  together  in  the  honourable  marriage,  in  the  covenant  of  God,  in 
Men's  meetinge,  at  Broad-mead,  within  the  citty  of  Bristoll,  (having  before 
made  mention  of  such  their  intentions  to  several  ffriends,)  on  the  behalf 
of  which  there  were  several  testimonies  given,  both  by  the  children  and 
relations  of  the  said  Margarett,  then  present,  and  several  others,  in  the 
power  of  the  Lord,  both  of  Men  and  Women,  declaring  their  satisfaction 
and  approbation  of  their  declared  intention  of  marriage. 

And  likewise  at  another  meetinge  both  of  Men  and  Women,  at  the  place 
aforesaide,  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  the  month  and  year  aforesaide,  the 
said  George  Fox  and  Margarett  ffell,  did  againe  publish  their  intention  of 
joininge  together  in  the  honourable  marriage  in  the  covenant  of  God,  unto 
which,  there  were  againe  many  living  testimonies  borne  by  the  relations  and 
ffriends  then  present,  both  of  Men  and  Women.  And  the  same  intentions 


HIS   ADDRESS   TO   FRIENDS.  311 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

George  Fox  on  the  Education  of  Orphans — M.  Fox  imprisoned — Letter 
of  George  Fox  to  her — Renewal  of  Conventicle  Act — Sufferings  of 
Friends  —  George  Fox's  Visit  to  the  Prisoners  —  His  Travels  —  His 
Sufferings  in  Spirit — His  View  of  the  New  Jerusalem — His  Prayers 
— His  Wife,  being  released,  comes  to  London — George  Fox  and  others 
embark  for  Barbadoes — Chased  by  a  Pirate — Remarkably  preserved 
—  Meeting  in  Barbadoes — Rules  of  Discipline — Advice  to  Slave- 
holders— Letter  to  Governor  of  Barbadoes — Visit  to  Jamaica — Death 
of  Elizabeth  Hooten — Voyage  of  George  Fox  to  Maryland. 

1669-72. 
NEAR  the  close  of  the  year  1669,  George  Fox,  while  in 

London,  issued  an  address  to  Friends  throughout  the  nation ; 

advising  that  in  all  their  quarterly  and   monthly  meetings, 

of  Marriage  beinge  againe  published  by  Dennis  Hollister,  at  our  public 
Meetinge-place  aforesaide,  on  the  two  and  twentyeth  day  of  the  month  and 
year  aforesaide,  and  then  againe,  a  public  testimony  was  given  to  the  same, 
that  it  was  of  God  who  had  brought  it  to  a  passe. 

And  for  the  full  accomplishment  of  the  aforesaid  proposal,  and  approved 
intention,  at  a  publicke  meetinge,  both  of  men  and  women  ffriends  appointed 
on  purpose  for  the  same  thinge,  at  the  place  aforesaide,  and  on  the  twenty- 
seventh  day  of  the  month  and  year  aforesaide,  according  to  the  law  and 
ordinance  of  God,  and  the  example  and  good  order  of  His  people,  mentioned 
in  the  Scriptures  of  Truth,  who  tooke  each  other  before  witnesses,  and  the 
Elders  of  the  people,  as  Laban  appointed  a  meetinge,  at  the  marriage  of 
Jacob,  and  as  a  meetinge  was  appointed  on  purpose  when  Boaz  and  Ruth 
tooke  each  other,  and  also  so  it  was  in  Canaan,  when  Christ  and  his  disciples 
went  to  a  marriage,  &c.  The  saide  George  Fox  did  solemnly,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  us  his  people,  declare,  that  he  tooke  the  saide  Margarett 
ifell  in  the  everlasting  power  and  covenant  of  God  which  is  from  everlasting 
to  everlasting,  and  in  the  honourable  marriage,  to  be  his  bride  and  his  wife. 
And  likewise,  the  saide  Margarett  did  solemnly  declare  that,  in  the  ever- 
lastinge  power  of  the  mighty  God,  and  in  the  unalterable  word,  and  in  the 
presence  of  God,  His  Angells  and  his  holy  assembly,  she  tooke  the  saide 
George  Fox  to  be  her  husband,  into  which  marriage,  many  livinge  testimo- 
nies were  borne  in  the  sence  of  the  power,  and  presence  of  the  livinge  God, 
manifested  in  the  said  assembly ;  of  which,  we,  whose  names  are  here  sub- 
scribed are  witness."  (Then  follow  the  signatures  of  92  Friends  of  both 
sexes.)  Friends'  Review,  VOL.  I. 


312  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

inquiry  should  be  made  for  such  children  of  widows,  and  other 
poor  Friends,  as  were  suitable  for  apprenticeship,  in  order 
that  places  might  be  found  for  them  among  the  members  of 
their  own  society.^  His  object  was  to  secure  for  them  suitable 
homes,  where  they  would  receive  a  guarded  religious  education, 
and  would  thus  become  qualified  to  promote  the  maintenance 
and  comfort  of  their  mothers  in  the  decline  of  life. 

Leaving  London,  he  visited  some  meetings  in  the  country, 
and  intending  to  go  into  Leicestershire,  he  wrote  to  his  wife, 
that  "if  she  found  it  convenient  she  might  meet  him  there." 
But  when  he  arrived  in  that  county,  he  heard  that  she  had 
been  again  arrested  in  her  own  house,  and  taken  to  Lancaster 
prison,  on  account  of  the  old  sentence  of  premunire,  from  the 
penalty  of  which  she  had  been  released  by  an  order  of  the 
king  and  council,  the  year  before.  After  visiting  a  few  more 
meetings,  he  returned  to  London,  where  he  despatched  Mary 
Lower  and  Sarah  Fell,  two  of  his  wife's  daughters,  to  wait  on 
the  king,  in  order  to  obtain  from  him  a  full  discharge.  After 
diligent  attention,  they  at  length  obtained  an  order  to  the 
sheriff  for  her  release,  which  Sarah  Fell  carried  to  Lancaster 
without  delay.  She  was  also  the  bearer  of  the  following  letter 
from  George  Fox  to  his  wife. 

"My  dear  heart  in  the  truth  and  life  that  changeth  not, 
"  It  was  upon  me  that  Mary  Lower  and  Sarah  should  go  to 
the  king  concerning  thy  imprisonment ;  and  to  Kirby,  that 
the  power  of  the  Lord  might  appear  over  them  all  in  thy 
deliverance.  They  went;  and  then  thought  to  have  come 
down;  but  it  was  upon  me  to  stay  them  a  little  longer,  that 
they  might  follow  the  business  till  it  was  effected :  which  it 
now  is,  and  is  here  sent.  The  late  declaration  of  mine  hath 
been  very  serviceable,  people  being  generally  satisfied  with  it. 
So  no  more  but  my  love  in  the  holy  Seed. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

The  "declaration"  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  letter,  was 
written  on  the  occasion  of  a  fresh  persecution  which  followed 
the  renewal  of  the  Conventicle  Act,  in  1670. 


HIS   ADDRESS  TO   MAGISTRATES.  313 

He  also  wrote  to  the  magistrates  as  follows : 
"  0  FRIENDS,  consider  this  act,  which  limits  our  meetings  to 
five.  Is  this  to  do  as  ye  would  be  done  by  ?  Would  ye  be  so 
served  yourselves  ?  We  own  Christ  Jesus  as  well  as  you,  his 
coming,  death,  and  resurrection;  and  if  we  be  contrary 
minded  to  you  in  some  things,  is  not  this  the  apostle's  exhor- 
tation, to  '  wait  till  God  hath  revealed  it?'  Doth  not  he  say, 
'What  is  not  of  faith  is  sin?'  Seeing  we  have  not  faith  in 
things  which  ye  would  have  us  to  do,  would  it  not  be  sin  in  us 
if  we  should  act  contrary  to  our  faith  ?  Why  should  any  man 
have  power  over  any  other  man's  faith,  seeing  Christ  is  the 
author  of  it  ?  When  the  apostles  preached  in  the  name  of 
Jesus,  and  great  multitudes  heard  them,  and  the  rulers  forbade 
them  to  speak  any  more  in  that  name,  did  not  they  bid  them 

judge  whether  it  were  better  to  obey  God  or  man?" 

"  This  is  from  those  who  wish  you  all  well,  and  desire  your 
everlasting  good  and  prosperity,  called  Quakers ;  who  seek 
the  peace  and  good  of  all  people,  though  they  afflict  us,  and 
cause  us  to  suffer. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

The  renewal  of  the  conventicle  act,  which  had  expired  by 
its  own  limitation,  was  effected  chiefly  through  the  instigation 
of  the  Anglican  clergy,  and,  after  its  re-enactment,  they 
spared  no  pains  to  promote  its  rigid  execution.*  Its  severity 
fell  chiefly  on  Friends,  whose  meetings  were  broken  up  by 
armed  bands,  and  the  members,  after  being  treated  with 
brutal  violence,  were  arrested,  and  often  imprisoned. 

George  Fox,  being  in  London  at  the  time  the  act  came  into 
force,  behaved  with  his  accustomed  intrepidity,  by  attending 
the  meeting  at  Grace-church  street,  although  he  knew  that  he 
was  more  obnoxious  to  the  persecuting  magistrates  than  any 
other  member  of  the  Society.  "When  I  came  there,"  he 
writes,  in  his  Journal,  "  I  found  the  street  full  of  people,  and 
a  guard  set  to  keep  Friends  out  of  their  meeting-house.  I 

*  See  Dissertation  on  Testimonies,  near  the  end  of  this  volume. 


314  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

went  to  the  other  passage  out  of  Lombard  street,  where  also 
I  found  a  guard ;  but  the  court  was  full  of  people,  and  a 
Friend  was  speaking  amongst  them :  but  spoke  not  long. 

"  When  he  had  done,  I  stood  up,  and  was  moved  to  say, 
1  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  It  is  hard  for  thee 
to  kick  against  that  which  pricks  thee.'  Then  I  showed,  it  is 
Saul's  nature  that  persecutes  still,  and  that  they,  who  perse- 
cute Christ  in  his  members  now,  where  he  is  made  manifest, 
kick  against  that  which  pricks  them.  That  it  was  the  birth 
of  the  flesh  that  persecuted  the  birth  born  of  the  spirit,  and 
that  it  was  the  nature  of  dogs  to  tear  and  devour  the  sheep ; 
but  that  we  suffered  as  sheep  that  bite  not  again  ;  for  we  were 
a  peaceable  people,  and  loved  them  that  persecuted  us.  After 
I  had  spoken  awhile  to  this  effect,  the  constable  came  with  an 
informer  and  soldiers ;  and  as  they  plucked  me  down,  I  said, 
'Blessed  are  the  peace-makers.'  The  commander  of  the 
soldiers  put  me  among  the  soldiers,  and  bid  them  secure  me, 
saying  to  me,  *  You  are  the  man  I  looked  for.'  They  took 
also  John  Burnyeat,  with  another  Friend,  and  had  us  away 
first  to  the  Exchange,  and  afterwards  towards  Moorfields.  As 
we  went  along  the  streets,  the  people  were  very  moderate. 
Some  of  them  laughed  at  the  constable,  and  told  him,  '  We 
would  not  run  away.'  The  informer  went  with  us  unknown, 
till  falling  into  discourse  with  one  of  the  company,  he  said, 
'  It  would  never  be  a  good  world  till  all  the  people  came  to 
the  good  old  religion  that  was  two  hundred  years  ago.' 
Whereupon  I  asked  him, '  Art  thou  a  Papist  ?  What !  a  Papist 
informer  ?  for  two  hundred  years  ago  there  was  no  other  reli- 
gion but  that  of  the  Papists.'  He  saw  he  had  ensnared  him- 
self, and  was  vexed  at  it ;  for  as  he  went  along  the  streets,  I 
spoke  often  to  him,  and  manifested  what  he  was.  When  we 
were  come  to  the  mayor's  house,  and  were  in  the  court-yard, 
several  asked  me,  '  How  and  for  what  I  was  taken  ?'  I  de- 
sired them  to  ask  the  informer ;  and  also  know  what  his  name 
was ;  but  he  refused  to  tell  his  name.  Whereupon  ono  of  the 
mayor's  officers,  looking  out  at  a  window,  told  him, '  He  should 


BROUGHT  BEFORE  THE  MAYOR  OF  LONDON.     315 

tell  his  name  before  he  went  away :  for  the  lord  mayor  would 
know  by  what  authority  he  intruded  himself  with  soldiers  into 
the  execution  of  those  laws  which  belonged  to  the  civil  magis- 
trate to  execute,  and  not  to  the  military.'  After  this,  he  was 
eager  to  be  gone,  and  went  to  the  porter  to  be  let  out.  One 
of  the  officers  called  to  him,  saying,  '  Have  you  brought 
people  here  to  inform' against,  and  now  will  you  go  away  be- 
fore my  lord  mayor  comes  ?'  Some  called  to  the  porter  not  to 
let  him  out ;  whereupon  he  forcibly  pulled  open  the  door,  and 
slipped  out.  No  sooner  was  he  come  into  the  street,  but  the 
people  gave  a  shout  that  made  the  street  ring  again,  crying 
out,  '  A  Papist  informer  !  A  Papist  informer  !'  We  desired 
the  constable  and  soldiers  to  go  and  rescue  him  out  of  the 
people's  hands,  lest  they  should  do  him  a  mischief.  They 
went  and  brought  him  into  the  mayor's  entry,  where  we 
stayed  awhile:  but  when  he  went  out  again,  the  people 
received  him  with  such  another  shout.  Whereupon  the 
soldiers  were  obliged  to  rescue  him  once  more,  and  then  they 
had  him  into  an  house  in  an  alley,  where  they  persuaded  him 
to  change  his  periwig ;  so  he  got  away  unknown.  When  the 
mayor  came,  we  were  brought  into  the  room  where  he  was, 
and  some  of  his  officers  would  have  taken  off  our  hats,  which 
he  perceiving,  bid  them  let  us  alone,  and  not  meddle  with  our 
hats ;  '  for,'  said  he,  '  they  are  not  yet  brought  before  me  in 
judicature.'  .So  we  stood  by,  while  he  examined  some  Pres- 
byterian and  Baptist  teachers ;  with  whom  he  was  somewhat 
sharp,  and  convicted  them.  After  he  had  done  with  them,  I 
was  brought  to  the  table  where  he  sat ;  and  then  the  officers 
took  off  my  hat." 

THE  MAYOR.  "  Mr.  Fox,  you  are  an  eminent  man  among 
those  of  your  profession ;  pray,  will  you  be  instrumental  to 
dissuade  them  from  meeting  in  such  great  numbers  ?  for,  see- 
ing Christ  hath  promised,  that  where  two  or  three  are  met  in 
his  name,  he  will  be  in  the  midst  of  them  ;  and  the  king  and 
parliament  are  graciously  pleased  to  allow  of  four  to  meet 
together  to  worship  God ;  why  will  you  not  be  content  to  par- 


316  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

take  both  of  Christ's  promise  to  two  or  three,  and  the  king's 
indulgence  of  four  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Christ's  promise  was  not  to  discourage 
many  from  meeting  together  in  his  name,  but  to  encourage 
the  few,  that  the  fewest  might  not  forbear  to  meet  because 
of  their  fewness.  But  if  Christ  hath  promised  to  manifest 
his  presence  in  the  midst  of  so  small  an  assembly,  where  but 
two  or  three  were  gathered  in  his  name,  how  much  more 
would  his  presence  abound  where  two  or  three  hundred  are 
gathered  to  his  name !  Consider,  also,  whether  this  act  would 
not  have  taken  hold  of  Christ,  with  his  twelve  apostles  and 
seventy  disciples,  if  it  had  been  in  their  time,  who .  used  to 
meet  often  together,  and  that  in  great  numbers  ?  However, 
this  act  does  not  concern  us ;  for  it  was  made  against  sedi- 
tious meetings,  of  such  as  met,  under  colour  and  pretence  of 
religion,  to  contrive  insurrections,  as  (the  act  says)  late  experi- 
ence had  shown ;  but  we  had  been  sufficiently  tried  and 
proved,  and  always  found  peaceable,  and  therefore  thou 
wouldst  do  well  to  put  a  difference  between  the  innocent  and 
the  guilty." 

MAYOR.  "The  act  was  made  against  meetings,  and  a 
worship  not  according  to  the  liturgy." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  According  to,  does  not  mean  the  very 
same  thing.  Is  not  the  liturgy  according  to  the  scripture  ? 
And  may  we  not  read  scriptures  and  speak  scriptures  ?" 

MAYOR.     "Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  This  act  takes  hold  only  of  such  as  meet 
to  plot  and  contrive  insurrections,  as  late  experience  hath 
shown ;  but  ye  have  never  experienced  that  from  us  !  Because 
thieves  are  sometimes  on  the.  road,  must  not  honest  men 
travel  ?  And  because  plotters  and  contrivers  have  met  to  do 
mischief,  must  not  an  honest  peaceable  people  meet  to  do 
good  ?  If  we  had  been  a  people  that  met  to  plot  and  contrive 
insurrections,  we  might  have  drawn  ourselves  into  fours  ;  for 
four  might  do  more  mischief  in  plotting  than  if  there  were 
four  hundred,  because  four  might  speak  out  their  minds  more 


HE   IS   SET   AT   LIBERTY.  31T 

freely  one  to  another,  than  four  hundred  could.  Therefore, 
we,  being  innocent,  and  not  the  people  the  act  concerns,  we 
keep  our  meetings  as  we  used  to  do.  I  believe  that  thou 
knowest  in  thy  conscience  we  are  innocent."  After  some 
more  discourse  the  Mayor  took  their  names,  and  the  places  where 
they  lodged;  and  at  length,  as  the  informer  was  gone,  set 
them  at  liberty. 

This  mayor  was  Samuel  Starling,  who  behaved  in  this 
instance  with  great  mildness,  but  afterwards  became  a  severe 
persecutor  of  Friends.  It  was  he  who  presided  at  the  memo- 
rable trial  of  William  Penn  and  William  Mead,  at  the  Old 
Bailey,  in  this  year. 

George  Fox,  being  now  at  liberty,  was  asked  by  some  of 
the  Friends  with  him,  "  Whither  he  would  go  ?"  He  answered, 
"To  Grace-church  street  meeting  again,  if  it  is  not  over." 
When  they  came  there,  the  people  were*  generally  gone.  They 
then  went  to  a  Friend's  house,  and  sent  out  to  inquire  how  it 
had  fared  with  the  other  meetings  in  the  city.  They  were 
informed  that  at  some  of  the  meeting-places  Friends  were 
kept  out ;  at  others  they  were  taken,  but  set  at  liberty  again 
in  a  few  days.  George  Fox  remarks  in  his  Journal,  "  A  glo- 
rious time  it  was,  for  the  Lord's  power  came  over  all,  and  his 
everlasting  truth  got  renown.  For,  as  fast  as  some  that  were 
speaking  were  taken  down,  others  were  moved  of  the  Lord  to 
stand  up  and  speak,  to  the  admiration  of  the  people ;  and  the 
more,  because  many  Baptists  and  other  sectaries  left  their 
public  meetings,  and  came  to  see  how  the  Quakers  would 
stand." 

As  soon  as  the  heat  of  persecution  was  somewhat  abated, 
he  left  the  city,  and  attending  meetings  on  his  way,  went  to 
Reading,  where  most  of  the  Friends,  residing  near,  were  in 
prison.  He  visited  them,  and  after  being  awhile  in  their 
company,  several  other  persons  coming  in,  they  had  a  meeting 
for  divine  worship,  in  which  "he  declared  the  word  of  life, 
encouraging  them  in  the  truth,  and  they  were  refreshed  in 
feeling  the  presence  and  power  of  the  Lord  amongst  them." 


318  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

As  he  passed  on  through  Surrey,  Sussex,  and  Kent,  he  had 
many  precious  meetings.  In  several  instances  he  was  in  immi- 
nent peril  of  being  taken,  but  was  providentially  preserved. 

Being  at  this  time  much  burdened  with  a  sense  of  the  wick- 
edness prevailing  in  the  nation,  he  was  introduced  into  a  state 
of  deep  suffering  and  spiritual  baptism,  insomuch  that  his 
strength  failed  him,  his  hearing  and  sight  were  impaired,  and 
his  friends  were  apprehensive  that  he  could  not  long  survive. 
While  in  this  condition,  he  was  much  engaged  in  prayer  to 
the  Lord,  that  he  would  please  to  prosper  Truth,  and  preserve 
justice  and  equity  in  the  land, — and  that  he  would  put  it  into 
the  hearts  of  the  magistrates  to  suppress  violence,  cruelty,  and 
profanity. 

He  says  in  his  Journal,  "  I  was  under  great  sufferings  at 
this  time,  beyond  what  I  have  words  to  declare.  For  I  was 
brought  into  the  deep,  and  saw  all  the  religions  of  the  world, 
and  the  people  that  lived  in  them,  and  the  priests  that  held 
them  up,  who  were  a  company  of  men-eaters,  eating  up  the 
people  like  bread,  and  gnawing  the  flesh  from  off  their  bones. 
But  as  for  true  religion  and  worship,  and  ministers  of  God, 
alack !  I  saw  there  was  none  amongst  those  of  the  world  that 

pretended  to  it." "Though  it  was  a  cruel,  bloody, 

persecuting  time,  yet  the  Lord's  power  went  over  all,  his  ever- 
lasting seed  prevailed ;  and  Friends  were  made  to  stand  firm 
and  faithful  in  the  Lord's  power.  Some  sober  persons  of  other 
professions  would  say,  *  If  Friends  did  not  stand,  the  nation 
would  run  into  debauchery.' 

"  Though  by  reason  of  weakness,  I  could  not  travel  amongst 
Friends  as  I  used  to  do,  yet,  in  the  motion  of  life,  I  sent  the 
following  lines,  as  an  encouraging  testimony,  to  them  : 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIENDS  : — The  seed  is  above  all.*  In  it  walk ; 
in  which  ye  all  have  life.  Be  not  amazed  at  the  weather ;  for 
always  the  just  suffered  by  the  unjust,  but  the  just  had  the 

*  By  the  "  seed"  he  means  Christ,  the  Eternal  Word.     See  Gen.  iii. 
1  and  5;  Gal.  iii.  16;  and  John  iii.  9. 


THE   NEW   JERUSALEM.  319 

dominion.  All  along  ye  may  see,  by  faith  the  mountains  were 
subdued;  and  the  rage  of  the  wicked,  with  his  fiery  darts, 
were  quenched.  Though  the  waves  and  storms  be  high,  yet 
your  faith  will  keep  you,  so  as  to  swim  above  them ;  for  they 
are  but  for  a  time,  and  the  truth  is  without  time.  Therefore 
keep  on  the  mountain  of  holiness,  ye  who  are  led  to  it  by  the 
light,  where  nothing  shall  hurt.  Do  not  think  that  anything 
will  outlast  the  truth,  which  standeth  sure ;  and  is  over  that 
which  is  out  of  the  truth.  For  the  good  will  overcome  the 
evil,  the  light  darkness,  the  life  death,  virtue  vice,  and  right- 
eousness unrighteousness.  The  false  prophet  cannot  overcome 
the  true  ;  but  the  true  prophet,  Christ,  will  overcome  all  the 
false.  So  be  faithful,  and  live  in  that  which  doth  not  think 
the  time  long. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

"  Whilst  I  was  under  this  spiritual  suffering,  the  state  of  the 
New  Jerusalem,  which  comes  down  out  of  heaven,  was  opened 
to  me ;  which  some  carnal-minded  people  had  looked  upon,  to 
be  like  an  outward  city,  dropped  out  of  the  elements.  I  saw 
the  beauty  and  glory  of  it,  the  length,  the  breadth,  and  the 
height  thereof,  all  in  complete  proportion.  I  saw  that  all,  who 
are  within  the  light  of  Christ,  in  his  faith,  which  he  is  the 
author  of,  in  the  Spirit,  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  Christ,  the 
holy  prophet  and  apostles  were  in,  and  within  the  grace, 
truth  and  power  of  God,  which  are  the  walls  of  the  city,  such 
are  within  the  city,  are  members  of  this  city,  and  have  right 
to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  yields  her  fruit  every  month, 
and  whose  leaves  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  But  they 
that  are  out  of  the  grace,  truth,  light,  Spirit  and  power  of 
God,  such  as  resist  the  Holy  Ghost,  quench,  vex  and  grieve 
the  Spirit  of  God  who  hate  the  light,  turn  from  the  grace  of 
God  into  wantonness,  and  do  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  Grace, 
such  as  have  erred  from  the  faith,  made  shipwreck  of  it  and 
of  a  good  conscience,  who  abuse  the  power  of  God,  and  des- 
pise prophesying,  revelation,  and  inspiration,  these  are  the 


320  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

dogs  and  unbelievers  that  are  without  the  city.  These  make 
up  the  great  city  of  Babylon,  confusion  and  her  cage,  the 
power  of  darkness ;  and  the  evil  spirit  of  error  surrounds  and 
covers  them  over." 

"  Many  things  more  did  I  see  concerning  the  heavenly  city, 
the  New  Jerusalem,  which  are  hard  to  be  uttered,  and  would 
be  hard  to  be  received.  But,  in  short,  this  holy  city  is  within 
the  light ;  and  all  that  are  within  the  light  are  within  the 
city :  the  gates  whereof  stand  open  all  the  day  (for  there  is 
no  night  there)  that  all  may  come  in.  Christ's  blood  being 
shed  for  every  man,  he  tasted  death  for  every  man,  and  enlight- 
eneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world ;  and  his  grace 
that  brings  salvation,  having  appeared  to  all  men,  there  is  no 
place  or  language  where  his  voice  may  not  be  heard."  .... 

When  George  Fox  was  so  far  recovered  that  he  could  walk, 
he  returned  to  London  and  attended  the  meeting  at  Grace- 
church  street  where,  notwithstanding  his  physical  debility, 
he  was  enabled,  through  divine  help,  "to  declare  the  word  of 
life." 

His  wife  was  still  in  prison  at  Lancaster,  for  although  an 
order  for  her  release  had  been  obtained  from  the  king,  yet  her 
persecutors,  on  some  pretence  of  informality,  found  means  to 
detain  her.  But  now  the  storm  of  persecution  being  a  little 
abated,  he  induced  Martha  Fisher  and  another  female  Friend 
to  lay  her  case  again  before  the  king,  who  granted  a  discharge 
under  the  broad  seal  to  clear  both  her  and  her  estate.  This 
document  George  Fox  forwarded  to  her  by  a  Friend,  with 
directions  how  she  should  proceed  to  obtain  her  release.  He 
informed  her  at  the  same  time,  that  he  had  a  prospect  of  a 
religious  visit  to  the  British  provinces  in  America ;  and  he 
desired  her  to  hasten  to  him  at  London,  as  soon  as  she  con- 
veniently could,  for  the  ship  in  which  he  expected  to  sail  was 
then  fitting  for  the  voyage.  She  accordingly  came  as  soon  as 
she  was  liberated,  and  he  began  to  prepare  for  his  mission. 

The  London  yearly  meeting  of  Friends  being  near  at  hand, 
he  stayed  to  attend  it ;  and  then  embarked  at  Gravesend, 


CHASED    BY   A    PIRATE.  321 

on  the  12th  of  the.  6th  month  (then  August)  1671,  on  board 
the  yacht  Industry,  Thomas  Foster  master,  bound  for  Bar- 
badoes.  He  had  for  the  companions  of  his  voyage  the  follow- 
ing named  Friends,  viz  :  Thomas  Briggs,  William  Edmundson, 
John  Rouse,  John  Stubbs,  Solomon  Eccles,  James  Lancaster, 
John  Cartwright,  Robert  Widders,  George  Pattison,  John 
Hull,  Elizabeth  Hooten,  and  Elizabeth  Miers ;  besides  other 
passsengers  amounting  in  all  to  about  fifty.  The  vessel 
proved  to  be  a  swift  sailer,  but  she  was  so  leaky  that  the  crew 
and  some  of  the  passengers  were  generally  kept  at  the  pumps 
night  and  day. 

One  afternoon,  when  they  had  been  about  three  weeks  at 
sea,  they  espied  a  vessel  about  three  leagues  astern,  which 
seemed  to  give  them  chase.  The  captain  said  it  was  a 
"  Sallee  man-of-war,"  a  piratical  vessel  from  the  Barbary 
coast ;  but  he  seemed  at  first  to  apprehend  no  danger,  saying, 
"  Come,  let  us  go  to  supper,  and  when  it  grows  dark  we  shall 
lose  her."  When  the  sun  went  down,  the  yacht  altered  her 
course,  but  the  pirate  continued  in  pursuit  by  moonlight,  and 
gained  upon  them.  At  night,  the  captain  and  others  came  to 
George  Fox,  and  asked  him  "What  they  should  do?"  He 
answered,  "  I  am  no  mariner,  what  do  you  think  is  best  to  be 
done?"  They  replied,  "There  are  but  two  ways,  either  to 
outrun  him,  or  to  tack  about,  and  hold  the  same  course  we 
were  going  before."  "If  he  is  a  thief,"  said  George,  "he 
will  tack  about  too,  and  as  for  outrunniug  him,  it  is  to  no 
purpose  to  talk  of  that ;  for  we  see  he  sails  faster  than 
we."  The  captain  then  repeated  his  question,  "What  shall 
we  do?"  and  added,  "If  the  mariners  had  taken  Paul's  coun- 
sel, they  had  not  come  to  the  damage  they  did."  George 
said,  "  It  is  a  trial  of  our  faith,  and  the  Lord  must  be  waited 
on  for  counsel." 

He  then  sought  for  mental  retirement,  and  spiritual  com- 
munion with  God,  in  which  state  it  was  shown  him  by  the 
Lord,  "  That  his  life  and  power  were  placed  between  them  and 
the  ship  that  pursued  them."    This  assurance  he  communicated 
21 


322  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

to  the  captain,  advising  him  to  tack  about,  and  steer  their 
right  course,  to  put  out  all  their  lights  but  the  one  they 
steered  by,  and  to  request  the  passengers  to  be  still  and  quiet. 
About  the  eleventh  hour  at  night,  the  watch  called  out,  "  They 
are  just  upon  us,"  and  George  Fox,  looking  through  a  port- 
hole, saw  the  pirate  close  upon  them,  the  moon  being  then 
nearly  down.  He  was  about  to  rise  and  go  on  deck,  but,  re- 
membering the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  "  His  power  was  placed 
between  them  and  their  pursuers,"  he  lay  down  again.  Soon 
after  this,  the  moon  set,  or  was  obscured,  a  fresh  gale  sprang 
up,  and  they  saw  the  pirate  no  more.* 

On  the  morrow,  being  First-day,  they  had,  as  usual  during 
the  voyage,  a  public  meeting  for  divine  worship.  The  Lord's 
presence  was  felt  eminently  amongst  them,  and  George  Fox 
expressed  his  fervent  desire,  "  That  they  would  mind  the  mer- 
cies of  the  Lord,  who  had  delivered  them ;  for  they  might 
have  been  all  in  the  Turk's  hands  by  that  time,  had  not  the 
Lord's  hand  saved  them."  The  captain  and  some  of  the  crew 
afterwards  endeavoured  to  persuade  the  passengers  that  it  was 
not  a  Barbary  pirate  which  chased  them,  but  a  merchant-ship 
going  to  the  Canaries,  upon  which  George  Fox  warned  them 
that  "they  should  take  heed  of  slighting  the  mercies  of  God." 
The  Friends  were  afterwards  confirmed  in  their  belief  that  it 
was  a  pirate ;  for,  during  their  stay  in  Barbadoes,  a  merchant 
from  Sallee  arrived  there,  and  told  the  people,  "  That  one  of 
the  Sallee  men-of-war  saw  and  chased  a  monstrous  yacht  at 
sea,  and  was  just  upon  her,  but  there  was  a  spirit  in  her  that 
he  could  not  take." 

On  the  3d  of  the  8th  month  (October)  1671,  they  anchored 
in  Carlisle  bay,  Barbadoes,  after  a  passage  of  more  than  seven 
weeks.  During  most  of  the  voyage,  George  Fox  was  very 
sick  of  a  fever,  and  after  landing  he  continued  quite  ill  for 
three  weeks,  which  was  attributed  to  the  heat  of  the  climate 
operating  upon  a  constitution  already  enfeebled  by  long  im- 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  II.  129,  and  W.  Edmundson's  Journal,  p.  60. 


HE   RECOMMENDS   MANUMISSION   OF   SLAVES.  323 

prisonments,  and  great  hardships  endured  in  England.  As 
he  was  unable  to  travel,  the  Friends  held  their  meeting  for 
church  discipline  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Rouse,  where  he 
lay.  He  gave  them  much  salutary  advice  in  relation  to 
various  points  of  discipline,  and  exhorted  them  especially  to 
be  careful  that  none  should  marry  who  were  of  too  near  kin- 
dred ;  that  a  proper  time  should  be  allowed  after  the  decease 
of  a  former  companion,  before  a  second  marriage  was  con- 
tracted ;  and  as  some  had  married  very  young,  even  as  early 
as  13  or  14  years  of  age,  he  admonished  them  against  such 
childish  marriages. 

He  advised  them  to  keep  exact  records  of  marriages,  births, 
and  burials,  and  copies  of  the  testimonies  issued  against  those 
who  persisted  in  walking  disorderly.  "  Respecting  their 
negroes,"  he  says,  "  I  desired  them  to  endeavour  to  train 
them  up  in  the  fear  of  God,  as  well  those  that  were  bought 
with  their  money,  as  them  that  were  born  in  their  families. 
that  all  might  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord ;  that  so, 
with  Joshua,  every  master  of  a  family  might  say,  '  As  for  me 
and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord.'  I  desired  also,  that 
they  would  cause  their  overseers  to  deal  mildly  and  gently 
with  their  negroes,  and  not  use  cruelty  towards  them,  as  the 
manner  of  some  hath  been  and  is;  and  that  after  certain 
years  of  servitude  they  should  make  them  free.  Many  sweet 
and  precious  things  were  opened  in  these  meetings,  by  the 
spirit  and  power  of  the  Lord,  to  the  edifying,  confirming,  and 
building  up  of  Friends,  in  the  faith  and  holy  order  of  the 
gospel."  * 

His  mind  being  deeply  concerned  for  the  welfare  and  spi- 
ritual progress  of  Friends  in  England,  he  wrote  them  an 
edifying  letter,  which  concludes  as  follows : 

"  See  that  godliness,  holiness,  righteousness,  truth,  and 
virtue,  the  fruits  of  the  good  Spirit,  flow  over  the  bad  and  its 
fruits,  that  ye  may  answer  that  which  is  of  God  in  all ;  for 
your  Heavenly  Father  is  glorified  in  that  you  bring  forth 

*  See  section  on  Slavery,  in  the  Dissertation  on  Testimonies. 


324  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

much  fruit.  Therefore  ye,  who  are  plants  of  his  planting,  his 
trees  of  righteousness,  see  that  every  tree  be  full  of  fruit. 
Keep  in  true  humility,  and  in  the  true  love  of  God,  which 
doth  edify  his  body,  that  the  true  nourishment  from  the  head, 
the  refreshing  springs,  and  rivers  of  water,  and  bread  of  life, 
may  be  plenteously  known  and  felt  amongst  you,  that  so 
praises  may  ascend  to  God.  Be  faithful  to  the  Lord  God,  and 
just  and  true  in  all  your  dealings  and  doings  with  and  towards 
men.  Be  not  negligent  in  your  men's  meetings  [for  discipline] 
to  admonish,  exhort,  and  reprove,  in  the  spirit  of  love  and  of 
meekness,  and  to  seek  that  which  is  lost,  and  to  bring  back 
again  that  which  hath  been  driven  away.  Let  all  minds, 
spirits,  souls,  and  hearts,  be  bended  down  under  the  yoke  of 
Christ  Jesus,  the  power  of  God.  Much  I  could  write,  but  am 
weak,  and  have  been  mostly  since  I  left  you.  Burdens  and 
travails  I  have  been  under,  and  gone  through  many  ways,  but 
it  is  well.  The  Lord  Almighty  knows  my  work  which  he  hath 
sent  me  forth  to  do  by  his  everlasting  arm  and  power,  which 
is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting.  Blessed  be  his  holy  name, 
which  I  am  in,  and  in  which  my  love  is  to  you  all. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

When  sufficiently  recovered  to  go  abroad,  he  paid  a  visit  to 
the  governor,  who  received  him  courteously,  and  treated  him 
with  much  kindness.  There  was,  soon  after,  a  great  meeting 
of  Friends  at  Bridgetown,  which  was  attended  by  the  governor, 
by  other  officers,  civil  and  military,  and  by  the  most  respect- 
able citizens.  It  was  a  season  of  divine  favour,  in  which 
George  Fox  and  other  Friends  were  enabled  to  labour  in  the 
good  cause  to  general  satisfaction. 

Many  other  precious  meetings  were  held  during  their  stay 
in  the  island.  At  one  of  these,  Colonel  Lyne,  a  sedate  man, 
said  to  George  Fox,  "  Now  I  can  gainsay  such  as  I  have  heard 
speak  evil  of  you,  who  say  you  do  not  own  Christ,  nor  that 
he  died ;  whereas  I  perceive  that  you  exalt  Christ  in  all  his 
offices  beyond  what  I  have  ever  heard  before." 

As  many  false  and  scandalous  reports  concerning  Friends 


HE   REPUTES    A   CALUMNY.  325 

were  spread  through  the  island,  George  Fox,  with  some  other 
Friends,  drew  up  a  declaration  addressed  to  the  governor  of 
Barbadoes,  with  his  council  and  assembly,  and  all  others  in 
power,  both  civil  and  military,  in  the  island.  The  doctrinal 
part  of  this  paper  being  inserted  in  a  Dissertation  near  the 
close  of  this  volume,  it  is  only  necessary  to  notice  here  the 
concluding  part  of  it,  which  relates  to  an  accusation  made 
against  Friends,  "that  1^ey  taught  the  negroes  to  rebel." 

This  calumny  probably  originated  in  the  fact  that  George 
Fox,  and  other  Friends,  had  manifested  much  concern  for  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  welfare  of  the  slaves;  advising  the 
masters  "to  bring  them  to  meetings,  to  treat  them  kindly, 
and  after  certain  years  of  servitude  to  set  them  free."  But 
in  relation  to  this  charge,  they  say,  in  their  declaration,  "  Jt 

is  a  thing  we   utterly  abhor." "That  which  we 

have  spoken  to  them  is  to  exhort  and  admonish  them  to  be 
sober,  to  fear  God/ to  love  their  masters  and  mistresses,  to  be 
faithful  and  diligent  in' their  service  and  business,  and  then 
their  masters  and  overseers  would  love  them,  and  deal  kindly 
and  gently  with  them."  And  furthermore  they  averred,  that 
they  had  exhorted  the  slaves  to  treat  each  other  kindly,  and 
to  avoid  all  vice,  for  there  are  but  two  ways,  one  that  leads  to 
Heaven,  where  the  righteous  go ;  and  the  other  that  leads  to 
Hell,  the  abode  of  the  wicked.  In  conclusion  they  say,  "  We 
esteem  it  a  duty  incumbent  on  us  to  pray  with  and  for,  to 
teach,  instruct,  and  admonish,  those  in  and  belonging  to  our 
families ;  this  being  a  command  of  the  Lord,  disobedience 
whereunto  will  provoke  his  displeasure,  as  may  be  seen  in 
Jeremiah  x.  25 :  '  Pour  out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen  that 
know  thee  not,  and  upon  the  families  that  call  not  upon  thy 
name.' ': 

Having  completed  his  services  in  the  island  of  Barbadoes, 
he  set  sail  for  Jamaica  the  8th  of  llth  month  1671,  [Feb- 
ruary 1672].  Just  before  sailing  he  addressed  a  letter  to  his 
wife,  as  follows : 


326  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

"  Barbadoes,  6th  of  the  llth  month,  1G71. 

"  MY  DEAR  HEART  :  To  whom  is  my  love,  and  to  all  the 
children  in  the  seed  of  life  that  changeth  not,  but  is  over  all ; 
blessed  be  the  Lord  forever  !  I  have  undergone  great  suffer- 
ings in  my  body  and  spirit,  beyond  words ;  but  the  God  of 
Heaven  be  praised,  his  truth  is  over  all.  I  am  now  well ;  and 
if  the  Lord  permit, — within  a  few  days  I  pass  from  Barbadoes 
towards  Jamaica ;  and  think  to  stay  &ut  little  there.  I  desire 
that  ye  may  be  all  kept  free  in  the  seed  of  life,  out  of  all 
cumberances.  Friends  are  generally  well.  Remember  me  to 
Friends  that  inquire  after  me.  So  no  more,  but  my  love  in 
the  seed  and  life  that  changeth  not. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

He  had  a  quick  and  easy  passage  to  Jamaica,  and  was 
accompanied  thither  by  several  of  his  friends,  among  whom 
was  Elizabeth  Hooten,  a  woman  of  great  age,  one  of  his  ear- 
liest proselytes,  and  for  many  years  a  faithful  minister  of  the 
gospel.  She  died  in  Jamaica  after  a  very  short  illness,  and 
manifested,  in  her  peaceful  close,  the  sustaining  power  of 
Heavenly  Truth. 

George  Fox  and  his  friends  had  much  religious  service  in 
the  island ;  their  meetings  were  large,  and  many  were  con- 
vinced of  Friends'  doctrines. 

After  having  been  about  seven  weeks  in  Jamaica,  he  em- 
barked for  Maryland,  accompanied  by  his  Friends  William 
Edmundson,  Robert  Widders,  James  Lancaster,  John  Cart- 
wright  and  George  Pattison.  On  the  8th  of  the  first  month 
(March)  1672,  they  set  sail,  but  encountered  head  winds  and 
boisterous  weather,  by  which  they  were  exposed  to  great  dan- 
ger. "The  storms  and  tempests,"  he  say's,  "were  so  great 
that  the  sailors  knew  not  what  to  do,  but  let  the  ship  go 
which  way  she  would ;  then  did  we  pray  unto  the  Lord  ;  who 
did  graciously  hear  and  accept  us,  and  did  calm  the  winds 
and  seas,  and  gave  us  seasonable  weather,  and  made  us  to 
rejoice  in  his  salvation ;  blessed  and  praised  be  the  holy  name 


HE  ARRIVES  IN  MARYLAND.  327 

of  the  Lord,  whose  power  hath  dominion  over  all,  and  whom 
the  winds  and  seas  obey." 

They  were  between  six  and  seven  weeks  on  their  passage, 
and  on  entering  the  mouth  of  the  Patuxent  river,  a  great  storm 
arose,  during  which  a  boat  containing  several  men  and- women 
of  some  note  in  the  colony,  was  forced  by  stress  of  weather 
to  seek  their  protection.  These  colonists  remained  on  board 
some  days,  and  the  Friends  had  a  good  meeting  with  them  in 
the  ship. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

His  kind  reception  in  Maryland — J.  Burnyeat — General  Meetings  at 
"West  River  and  Cliffs — Eastern  Shore — Meeting  with  Indians — Jour- 
ney to  New  Jersey — Long  Island — Rhode  Island — Yearly  Meeting — 
Shelter  Island — Meets  William  Edmundson — Returns  through  New 
Jersey,  Newcastle,  Third-Haven — Sails  for  Virginia — Travels  to  Caro- 
lina— Meetings  with  Whites  and  Indians — Travels  in  Virginia — 
Establishes  Meetings  for  Discipline — Disorders  produced  in  Virginia 
byJ.  Perrot — George  Fox  returns  to  Maryland — Sails  for  England — 
Arrives  at  Bristol,  and  meets  his  wife — Declaration  of  indulgence, 
and  liberation  of  four  hundred  Friends — Travels  to  London — Goes 
with  his  wife  to  visit  William  Penn  at  Rickmansworth. 

1672-3. 

THE  progress  of  George  Fox  through  the  British  American 
provinces,  was  everywhere  hailed  with  joy  by  the  members  of 
his  own  society ;  and  in  most  places  there  was  a  disposition 
manifested  by  the  public  at  large,  to  receive  with  courtesy, 
and  treat  with  respect,  so  distinguished  a  guest.  Although  in 
his  native  land  he  had  been  a  great  sufferer  for  conscience' 
sake,  and  in  his  early  career  had  often  been  treated  with  con- 
tumely, he  had  now,  by  his  wonderful  success,  his  irreproach- 
able character,  his  undaunted  courage,  and  dignity  of  character, 
become  everywhere  an  object  of  interest,  and  there  were  few 
who  did  riot  desire  to  hear  from  his  own  lips  those  powerful 


328  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

appeals,  which  could  awaken  the  conscience  and  convince  the 
understanding. 

There  was,  moreover,  in  some  of  the  American  colonies, 
and  especially  in  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  Carolina,  a  dearth 
of  public  preaching,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  hear  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  expounded. 

When  he  and  his  companions  landed  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Patuxent,  they  learned  that  John  Burnyeat,  a  minister  from 
England,  had  appointed  a  General  Meeting  for  Friends  in 
Maryland,  to  be  held  at  West  Eiver,  in  the  2d  month,  (April, 
0.  S.,)  1672. 

"  It  was,"  says  George  Fox,  "  so  ordered  in  the  good  pro- 
vidence of  God,  that  we  landed  just  time  enough  to  reach 
that  meeting,  by  which  means  we  had  a  very  seasonable  oppor- 
tunity of  taking  the  Friends  of  the  province  together."  It 
was  a  very  large  meeting,  being  attended  not  only  by  Friends, 
but  by  many  of  other  persuasions,  among  whom  were  the 
speaker  of  the  assembly  and  other  persons  of  distinction. 
After  the  meeting  for  public  worship  was  ended,  they  held  a 
meeting  for  church  discipline,  in  which,  says  John  Burnyeat, 
"  George  Fox  did  wonderfully  open  the  service  thereof  unto 
Friends,  and  they,  with  gladness  of  heart,  received  advice  in 
such  necessary  things  as  were  then  opened  unto  them,  and  all 
were  comforted  and  edified."  *  Although  meetings  for  wor- 
ship had  been  held  by  Friends  in  Maryland  for  fourteen  years, 
it  does  not  appear  that,  prior  to  this  time,  there  had  been  any 
meetings  for  discipline. 

From  West  River,  they  proceeded  to  the  Cliffs,  also  in 
Maryland,  where  another  General  Meeting  for  worship  and 
discipline  was  held.  Here,  "the  truth,  was  received  with 
reverence,  most  of  the  backsliders  came  in  again,  and  several 
of  those  meetings  were  established  for  taking  care  of  the 
aifairs  of  the  church."  f 

After  these  two  memorable  meetings,  the  ministers  in 
attendance  from  abroad,  parted  company,  in  order  to  fulfil  the 

*  J.  Burnyeat's  Journal,  43-4.         f  George  Fox's  Journal,  II.  146. 


HE  JOURNEYS   TOWAKDS   NEW-ENGLAND.  329 

services  to  which  they  were  severally  called.  James  Lancas- 
ter and  John  Cartwright  went  by  sea  to  New  England,  Wil- 
liam Edmundson  and  three  other  Friends  sailed  for  Virginia, 
and  John  Burnyeat,  Robert  Widders,  and  George  Pattison 
accompanied  George  Fox  to  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland. 
Here  they  had  another  "large  and  heavenly  meeting,"  in 
which  many  people  "  received  the  Truth  with  gladness,  and 
Friends  were  greatly  refreshed."* 

George  Fox  sent  an  invitation  to  "  the  Indian  emperor  and 
his  kings  to  attend  this  meeting.  In  the  evening,"  he  says, 
"  I  had  two  good  opportunities  with  them ;  they  heard  the 
word  of  the  Lord  willingly,  and  confessed  to  it.  What  I 
spoke  to  them,  I  desired  them  to  speak  to  their  people ;  and 
let  them  know  that  God  was  raising  up  his  tabernacle  of  wit- 
ness in  their  wilderness  country,  and  was  setting  up  his  stan- 
dard and  glorious  ensign  of  righteousness.  They  carried 
themselves  very  courteously  and  lovingly,  and  inquired, 
'  Where  the  next  meeting  would  be,'  and  said  'they  would  come 
to  it ;'  yet  they  said,  '  they  had  a  great  debate  with  their 
council  before  they  came  now.' ' 

Next  day,  he  and  his  companions  set  out  from  Third-Haven 
creek,  on  their  journey  to  New-England,  travelling  on  horse- 
back through  the  wilderness,  over  bogs  and  great  rivers. 
They  generally  crossed  the  rivers  in  canoes,  causing  their 
horses  to  swim  alongside,  or  to  follow  them.  After  passing 
Newcastle,  they  crossed  the  river  Delaware,  not  without  great 
danger ;  and  then,  with  much  difficulty,  they  procured  a  guide 
through  the  western  part  of  New-Jersey,  which,  at  that  time, 
was  inhabited  only  by  Indians.  Sometimes  they  slept  in  the 
woods  by  a  fire,  at  others  they  lodged  in  the  Indian  wigwams, 
and  their  horses  were  allowed  to  graze  through  the  night.  At 
an  Indian  town,  they  were  cordially  received  by  a  sachem 
and  his  wife,  who  gave  them  a  mat  to  lie  on ;  but  their  host, 
though  hospitably  inclined,  was  scarce  of  provisions,  having 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  II.  146. 


330  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

taken  but  little  game  that  day.  At  length  they  came  to 
Middletown,  in  East  New-Jersey,  where  they  were  gladly 
received  by  Richard  Hartshorne,  who  accompanied  them  to 
the  Half-year's  Meeting,  at  Oyster  Bay,  Long  Island. 

On  the  First-day  of  the  week,  being  the  next  after  their 
arrival,  the  meeting  for  worship  began,  and  continued  two 
days;  then  followed  a  meeting  for  church  discipline,  which 
occupied  one  day.  This  meeting  was  attended  by  some  dis- 
affected persons  professing  to  be  Friends,  but  opposed  to  the 
order  of  the  discipline.  They  had  been  exceedingly  trouble- 
some at  former  meetings,  and  now  endeavoured  to  make  a 
disturbance,  but  George  Fox  would  not  suffer  it.  He  informed 
them  that  a  meeting  should  be  appointed  for  hearing  them,  on 
the  folio-wing  day,  which  was  accordingly  done.  It  was 
attended  by  many  of  those  discontented  persons,  whose  ob- 
jections were  answered,  the  minds  of  Friends  satisfied,  and 
"  the  Lord's  power  broke  forth  gloriously,  to  the  confounding 
of  the  gainsay  ers."* 

After  attending  some  other  meetings,  they  set  sail  for 
Rhode  Island,  where  they  arrived  the  30th  of  the  3d  month 
(May)  1672,  and  were  kindly  entertained  at  the  house  of 
Nicholas  Easton,  the  governor.  During  the  following  week, 
the  Yearly  Meeting  for  Friends  of  New-England,  and  other 
colonies  adjacent,  was  held  on  the  island.  It  continued  six 
days.  The  first  four  were  occupied  with  meetings  for  public 
worship,  to  which  great  numbers  resorted,  for  "there  being 
no  priests  on  the  island,  and  no  restriction  to  any  particular 
way  of  worship,  and  the  governor,  deputy-governor,  and 
several  justices  of  the  peace  daily  frequenting  the  meetings, 
so  encouraged  the  people,  that  they  flocked  in  from  all  parts 
of  the  island."  George  Fox  further  remarks,  "  I  have  rarely 
observed  a  people,  in  the  state  wherein  they  stood,  to  hear 
with  more  attention,  diligence,  and  affection,  than  generally 
they  did,  during  the  four  days ;  which  was  also  taken  notice 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  II,  148-9 ;  J.  Burnyeat's  Journal,  46. 


FRIENDS'  MEETINGS  IN  RHODE  ISLAND.  331 

of  by  other  Friends.  These  public  meetings  over,  the  men's 
meeting  began,  which  was  large,  precious,  and  weighty.  The 
day  following  was  the  women's  meeting,  which  also  was  large 
and  very  solemn. 

"These  two  meetings  being  for  ordering  the  affairs  of  the 
church,  many  weighty  things  were  opened,  and  communicated 
to  them,  by  way  of  advice,  information,  and  instruction,  in 
the  services  relating  thereunto  ;  that  all  might  be  kept  clean, 
sweet,  and  savoury  amongst  them. 

"  In  these,  several  men's  and  women's  meetings  for  other 
parts  were  agreed  and  settled,  to  take  care  of  the  poor,  and 
other  affairs  of  the  church,  and  to  see  that  all  who  profess 
truth  walk  according  to  the  glorious  gospel  of  God. 

"When  this  great  General  Meeting  was  ended,  it  was 
somewhat  hard  for  Friends  to  part,  for  the  glorious  power  of 
the  Lord,  which  was  over  all,  and  his  blessed  truth  and  life 
flowing  amongst  them,  had  so  knit  and  united  them  together, 
that  they  spent  two  days  in  taking  leave  (me  of  another,  and 
of  the  Friends  of  the  island ;  and  then  being  mightily  filled 
with  the  presence  and  power  of  the  Lord,  they  went  away 
with  joyful  hearts  to  their  several  habitations,  in  the  several 
colonies  where  they  lived." 

Their  services  at  this  place  being  ended,  Friends  in  the 
ministry  from  abroad  again  dispersed,  in  order  to  visit  those 
parts  of  the  vineyard  into  which  they  were  severally  called. 
John  Burnyeat,  John  Cartwright  and  George  Pattison,  went 
into  the  eastern  parts  of  New  England ;  James  Lancaster, 
accompanied  by  John  Stubbs,  who  had  lately  come  from 
Barbadoes,  intended  to  follow  soon  after  in  the  same  service ; 
and  Robert  Widders  remained  with  George  Fox  some  time 
longer  on  the  island,  .where  they  found  great  openness  for 
religious  labour. 

"During  this  time,"  says  George  Fox,  "a  marriage  was 
celebrated  among  Friends  in  this  island,  and  we  were  present. 
It  was  at  a  Friend's  house,  who  had  formerly  been  governor 
of  the  island:  and  three  justices  of  the  peace,  with  many 


332  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

others  not  in  profession  with  us,  and  Friends  also,  said,  They 
never  saw  such  a  solemn  assembly  on  such  an  occasion,  so 
weighty  a  marriage,  and  so  comely  an  order."  Thus,  truth 
was  set  over  all.  This  might  serve  for  an  example  to  others  ; 
for  there  were  some  present  from  many  other  places. 

"  After  this  I  had  a  great  travail  in  spirit  concerning  the 
Ranters  in  those  parts,  who  had  been  rude  at  a  meeting  which 
I  was  not  at.  Wherefore,  I  appointed  a  meeting  amongst 
them,  believing  the  Lord  would  give  me  power  over  them ; 
which  he  did  to  his  praise  and  glory,  blessed  be  his  name  for- 
ever !  There  were  at  this  meeting  many  Friends,  and  divers 
other  people ;  some  of  them  were  justices  of  the  peace,  and 
officers,  who  were  generally  well  affected  with  the  truth.  One 
who  had  been  a  justice  twenty  years,  was  convinced,  spoke 
highly  of  the  truth,  and  more  highly  of  me  than  it  is  fit  for 
me  to  mention  or  take  notice  of." 

The  governor  of  the  Province,  and  many  others,  accom- 
panied George  Fox. to  Providence,  where  he  had  a  meeting  in  a 
great  barn,  which  was  thronged  with  people,  and  "  The  glorious 
power  of  the  Lord  shined  over  all."  He  had  meetings,  also, 
at  Narraganset  and  other  places,  where  he  was  favoured  to 
preach  the  gospel  with  satisfaction  and  success.  Having 
heard  at  one  place  that  some  of  the  magistrates  had  said, 
"  If  they  had  money  enough  they  would  hire  him  to  be  their 
minister,"  he  remarked  to  his  friends,  "  That  it  was  time  for 
him  to  be  gone,  for  if  their  eyes  were  so  much  turned  to  him 
or  any  man,  they  would  not  come  to  their  own  [spiritual] 
teacher."  "  This  thing  of  hiring  ministers,"  he  observes, 
"  has  spoiled  many,  by  hindering  them  from  improving  their 
own  talents ;  whereas  our  labour  is  to  bring  all  to  their  own 
teacher  in  themselves." 

In  company  with  several  Friends,  he  embarked  in  a  sloop 
for  Shelter  island,  which  lies  contiguous  to  the  eastern  end  of 
Long  Island.  Although  the  distance  from  Rhode  Island  was 
but  twenty-seven  leagues,  they  had  a  most  uncomfortable  pas- 
sage of  three  days.  On  the  next  day  after  landing,  he  held 


ACCIDENT   TO   JOHN  JAY.  333 

a  meeting  there,  and  "The  same  week,"  he  says,  "I  had  a 
meeting  among  the  Indians,  at  which  were  their  king,  with 
his  council,  and  about  one  hundred  more  of  the  natives. 
They  sat  down  like  Friends,  and  heard  very  attentively  while 
I  spoke  to  them  by  an  interpreter,  an  Indian  that  could  speak 
English  well.  After  meeting,  they  appeared  very  loving,  and 
confessed  what  was  said  to  them  was  truth." 

While  on  the  island,  he  was  visited  by  William  Edmund- 
son,  who  had  just  returned  from  his  journey  to  Virginia,  where 
he  had  travelled  with  much  difficulty  through  a  wilderness 
country,  but  reported  that  he  met  Avith  "  a  tender  people,  and 
had  good  service  for  the  Lord."  After  spending  two  or  three 
days  together,  "  They  took  leave  of  each  other  in  the  sweet 
love  of  God;"*  William  Edmundson  intending  to  return 
shortly  to  his  home  in  Ireland,  and  George  Fox,  with  his 
companion,  going  to  Long  Island. 

Returning  to  the  south,  through  New-Jersey,  they  came  to 
Shrewsbury,  where  they  attended  meetings  for  worship  and 
discipline.  While  at  this  place,  an  accident  occurred,  which 
is  thus  related  by  George  Fox  in  his  Journal :  "  John  Jay,  a 
Friend  of  Barbadoes,  who  came  with  us  from  Rhode  Island, 
and  intended  to  accompany  us  through  the  woods  to  Mary- 
land, being  to  try  a  horse,  got  upon  his  back,  and  the  horse 
fell  a-running,  cast  him  down  upon  his  head,  and  broke  his 
neck,  as  the  people  said.  Those  that  were  near  him  took  him 
up  as  dead,  carried  him  a  good  way,  and  laid  him  on  a  tree. 
I  got  to  him  as  soon  as  I  could ;  and,  feeling  him,  concluded 
he  was  dead.  As  I  stood  pitying  him  and  his  family,  I  took 
hold  of  his  hair,  and  his  head  turned  any  way,  his  neck  was 
so  limber.  Whereupon  I  took  his  head  in  both  my  hands, 
and  setting  my  knees  against  the  tree,  I  raised  his  head,  and 
perceived  there  was  nothing  out  or  broken  that  way.  Then  I 
put  one  hand  under  his  chin,  and  the  other  behind  his  head, 
and  raised  his  head  two  or  three  times  with  all  my  strength, 

*  W.  Edmundson's  Journal,  73. 


334  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

and  brought  it  in.  I  soon  perceived  his  neck  began  to  grow 
stiff  again,  and  then  he  began  to  rattle  in  his  throat,  and 
quickly  after  to  breathe.  The  people  were  amazed ;  but  I 
bade  them  have  a  good  heart,  be  of  good  cheer,  and  carry 
him  into  the  house.  They  did  so,  and  set  him  by  the  fire. 
I  bid  them  get  him  something  warm  to  drink,  and  put  him  to 
bed.  After  he  had  been  in  the  house  awhile,  he  began  to 
speak ;  but  did  not  know  where  he  had  been.  The  next  day 
we  passed  away  (and  he  with  us,  pretty  well)  about  sixteen 
miles,  to  a  meeting  at  Middletown,  through  woods  and  bogs, 
and  over  a  river ;  where  we  swam  our  horses,  and  got  over 
ourselves  upon  a  hollow  tree.  Many  hundred  miles  did  he 
travel  with  us  after  this." 

After  attending  a  "glorious  meeting"  at  Middletown,  they 
proceeded  on  their  way  towards  Maryland,  having  hired 
Indian  guides  to  conduct  them  through  the  wilderness.  As 
they  passed  through  the  Indian  towns,  they  found  many  op- 
portunities to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  natives.  The  route 
was  exceedingly  laborious,  and  sometimes  dangerous,  there 
being  many  deep  bogs  and  wide  streams  to  cross,  yet  they 
generally  travelled  thirty  or  forty  miles  a  day,  and  at  night 
lay  by  a  fire  in  the  woods.  On  their  arrival  at  Newcastle, 
George  Fox  was  invited  to  the  governor's  house,  and  hospita- 
bly entertained.  His  companions  were  also  provided  for  by 
the  inhabitants.  They  had  a  precious  meeting  the  following 
day,  at  the  governor's  house ;  many  acknowledged  the  truth 
of  their  doctrines,  and  some  embraced  them  in  the  love  of 
the  gospel. 

Continuing  their  journey  through  the  unbroken  forests,  and 
fording  deep  and  dangerous  streams,  they  came  to  Miles  river 
in  Maryland,  near  which  they  had  two  meetings,  and  then 
proceeding  to  Kent  county,  they  held  a  meeting,  which  was 
attended  by  some '  hundreds  of  people,  among  whom  were  an 
Indian  sachem  and  two  of  his  chiefs.  With  these  Indians, 
George  Fox  had  a  very  satisfactory  interview.  He  spoke  to 
them  through  an  interpreter,  and  they  having  listened  atten- 


MEETINGS   IN   MARYLAND.  335 

tively  to  his  doctrines,  manifested  towards  him  the  most  cordial 
feelings. 

At  Third-Haven  creek,  on  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland, 
he  attended,  on  the  3d  of  the  8th  month,  a  General  Meeting 
for  all  the  Friends  of  Maryland,  which  he  thus  describes  in 
his  Journal :  "  This  meeting  held  five  days.  The  first  three 
we  had  meetings  for  public  worship,  to  which  people  of  all 
sorts  came ;  the  other  two  were  spent  in  the  men's  and 
women's  meetings  for  discipline.  To  those  public  meetings 
came  many  Protestants  of  divers  sorts,  and  some  Papists ; 
amongst  whom  were  several  magistrates  and  their  wives,  with 
other  persons  of  chief  account  in  the  country.  Of  the  com- 
mon people,  it  was  thought  there  were  sometimes  a  thousand 
at  one  of  those  meetings ;  so  that,  though  they  had  enlarged 
their  meeting-place,  and  made  it  as  big  again  as  it  was  before, 
it  could  not  contain  the  people. 

"  I  went  by  boat  every  day  four  or  five  miles  to  the  meet- 
ing, and  there  were  so  many  boats  at  that  time  passing  upon 
the  river,  that  it  was  almost  like  the  Thames.  The  people 
said,  '  There  were  never  so  many  boats  seen  there  together 
before ;'  and  one  of  the  justices  said  he  never  saw  so  many 
people  together  in  that  country.  It  was  a  very  heavenly 
meeting,  wherein  the  presence  of  the  Lord  was  gloriously 
manifested,  Friends  were  sweetly  refreshed,  the  people  gener- 
ally satisfied,  and  many  convinced ;  for  the  blessed  power  of 
the  Lord  was  over  all :  everlasting  praises  to  his  holy  name 
forever !  After  the  public  meetings  were  over,  the  men's  and 
women's  [for  discipline]  began,  and  were  held  the  other  two 
days ;  for  I  had  something  to  impart  to  them,  which  concerned 
the  glory  of  God,  the  order  of  the  gospel,  and  the  govern- 
ment of  Christ  Jesus.  When  these  meetings  were  over,  we 
took  our  leave  of  Friends  in  these  parts,  whom  we  left  well 
established  in  the  truth." 

Having  attended  many  other  meetings  in  Maryland,  most 
of  which  were  large  and  satisfactory,  he  set  sail  for  Virginia 
on  the  5th  of  the  9th  month,  and  after  a  voyage  of  three 


336  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

days,  landed  at  Nansemond.  Here  he  held  a  meeting,  and 
then  hastened  towards  Carolina,  yet  had  several  meetings  by 
the  way,  at  one  of  which  a  meeting  for  discipline  was  estab- 
lished. The  route  lay  through  swamps  and  bogs,  more  difficult 
than  any  they  had  passed,  and  travelling  on  horseback,  they 
were  wet  up  to  the  knees,  yet  in  this  condition  were  compelled 
to  pass  the  night  in  the  woods.  On  reaching  Bonner's  creek, 
a  branch  of  the  Roanoke,  they  left  their  jaded  horses,  and 
proceeded  in  a  canoe  to  Albemarle  Sound.  Stopping  by  the 
way  at  several  places,  they  had  much  discourse  with  the 
people,  many  of  whom  received  them  gladly.  Among  those 
who  came  to  see  them  was  Nathaniel  Batts,  formerly  "  gov- 
ernor of  Roanoke."  He  inquired  of  the  Friends,  concerning 
a  woman  in  Cumberland,  who  was  said  to  have  been  healed 
by  their  prayers,  after  she  had  been  given  over  by  the  physi- 
cians. George  Fox  replied  that  "  They  did  not  glory  in  such 
things,  but  many  such  things  had  been  done  by  the  power  of 
Christ." 

On  reaching  the  governor's  house,  situated  near  the  water, 
they  were  cordially  received.  Here  a  doctor  undertook  to 
dispute  with  them,  maintaining  that  the  light,  or  Spirit  of 
God,  had  not  appeared  to  all  men,  and  averring  that  it  was 
not  in  the  Indians.  George  Fox  then  called  an  Indian  and 
asked  him,  "  Whether  there  was  not  something  in  him  that 
reproved  him  when  he  lied  or  did  wrong  to  any  one?"  He 
answered,  "  That  there  was ;  and  that  he  was  ashamed  when 
he  had  done  or  spoken  wrong." 

Feeling  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  aborigines, 
George  Fox  went  among  them,  and  addressed  them  through 
an  interpreter.  "I  spoke  to  them,"  he  says,  "concerning 
Christ,  showing  them  that  he  died  for  all  men ;  for  their  sins 
as  well  as  for  others,  and  had  enlightened  them  as  well  as 
others."  They  received  his  instructions  kindly.  At  another 
time,  while  accompanied  by  John  Burnyeat,  he  went  to  an 
Indian  town,  and  the  sachem  having  assembled  all  his  people, 
George  preached  to  them  for  the  space  of  four  or  five  hours. 


HIS   INFLUENCE   IN  AMERICA.  837 

They  were  very  quiet  and  attentive,  appearing  delighted  to 
hear,  and  when  the  meeting  was  ended  they  began  to  prepare 
food  for  their  guests ;  but  the  Friends,  having  some  distance 
to  go  that  night,  were  obliged  to  decline  their  hospitality.* 

Having  spent  eighteen  days  in  North  Carolina,  "  and  made 
a  little  entrance  for  truth  among  the  people,"  George  Fox  and 
his  companions  returned  to  Virginia ;  travelling  again  on 
horseback  through  the  swamps,  lying  out  in  the  woods  at 
night,  fording  rivers,  and  enduring  all  the  hardships  incident 
to  a  journey  in  the  wilderness.  He  spent  three  weeks  travel- 
ling in  Virginia,  mostly  among  the  Friends,  having  large  and 
precious  meetings.  The  last  week  was  employed  in  the  regu- 
lation of  church  discipline,  which  was  greatly  needed,  for  he 
found  "  a  bad  spirit  had  got  up  among  some." 

It  appears  that  a  few  years  prior  to  this  date,  when  John 
Burnyeat  visited  Virginia,  he  found  the  meetings  of  Friends 
almost  abandoned,  and  their  testimonies  greatly  neglected; 
which  he  attributed  to  the  influence  of  John  Perrot,  who  had 
been  in  that  province,  and,  pretending  to  a  high  degree  of 
spirituality,  had  persuaded  many  that  the  attendance  of  meet- 
ings was  a  mere  form,  and  the  rules  of  discipline  were  but  the 
prescriptions  of  men.  John  Burnyeat  found  much  difficulty 
in  obtaining  a  meeting  among  them;  but  his  efforts  were 
blessed  in  the  restoration  of  some,  and  on  a  subsequent  visit 
in  1671,  he  found  a  manifest  improvement.  The  labours  of 
George  Fox  in  expounding  the  true  principles  of  church 
government,  were  no  less  salutary  in  America  than  they  had 
been  in  Great  Britain  ;  and  to  him,  under  Divine  Providence, 
is  the  society  of  Friends  chiefly  indebted  for  its  admirable 
code  of  discipline. 

Having  finished  the  service  to  which  he  had  been  called  in 
Virginia,  he  and  his  companions  set  sail,  in  an  open  sloop,  for 
Maryland  ;  and  after  touching  at  several  places,  and  holding 
some  meetings,  they  came  to  the  Patuxent,  where  they  landed. 
Throughout  the  winter  and  spring,  they  continued  travelling, 

*  J.  Burnyeat's  Journal,  p.  60. 

22 


338  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

mostly  by  water,  until  the  General  Meeting  of  Friends  for  the 
province  of  Maryland,  which  began  the  17th  of  3d  month 
(May),  1673.  This  meeting  continued  four  days,  and  was  the 
last  that  George  Fox  attended  in  America.  "  The  first  of 
these  days,"  he  says,  "  the  men  and  women  had  their  meetings 
for  business ;  wherein  the  affairs  of  the  church  were  taken 
care  of,  and  many  things  relating  thereunto  were  opened,  to 
their  edification  and  comfort.  The  other  three  days  were 
spent  in  public  meetings  for  the  worship  of  God,  at  which 
divers  of  considerable  account  in  the  government,  and  many 
others,  were  present ;  who  were  generally  satisfied,  and  many 
of  them  reached ;  for  it  was  a  wonderful  glorious  meeting,  and 
the  mighty  presence  of  the  Lord  was  seen  and  felt  over  all ; 
blessed  and  praised  be  his  holy  name  forever,  who  over  all 
giveth  dominion." 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  he  and  his  companions,  Robert 
Widders  and  James  Lancaster,  took  leave  of  Friends,  "  part- 
ing with  them  in  great  tenderness,  and  in  the  sense  of  hea- 
venly life,"  and  the  next  day  being  the  25th  of  the  month, 
they  sailed  for  England. 

He  writes  in  his  Journal,  "  We  had,  in  our  passage,  very 
high  winds  and  tempestuous  weather,  which  made  the  sea 
exceeding  rough,  the  waves  rising  like  mountains,  so  that  the 
master  and  sailors  wondered,  and  said,  '  They  never  saw  the 
like  before.'  But  though  the  wind  was  strong,  it  set  for  the 
most  part  with  us,  so  that  we  sailed  before  it ;  and  the  great 
God  who  commands  the  winds,  who  is  Lord  of  Heaven, 
earth,  and  the  seas,  and  whose  wonders  are  seen  in  the  deep, 
steered  our  course,  and  preserved  us  from  many  imminent 
dangers.  The  same  good  hand  of  Providence  that  went  with 
us,  and  carried  us  safely  over,  watched  over  us  in  our  return, 
and  brought  us  safely  back  again.  Thanksgiving  and  praises 
be  to  his  holy  name  forever !  Many  sweet  ar.<l  precious 
meetings  we  had  on  board  the  ship  during  this  voyage,  (com- 
monly two  a  week)  wherein  the  blessed  presence  of  the  Lord 
did  greatly  refresh  us,  and  often  break  in  upon  and  tender 


LETTER   TO   HIS   WIFE.  339 

the  company.  When  we  came  into  Bristol  harbour,  there  lay 
a  man-of-war,  and  the  press-master  came  on  board  to  impress 
our  men.  We  had  a  meeting  at  that  time  in  the  ship  with 
the  seamen,  before  we  went  to  shore ;  and  the  press-master 
sat  down  with  us,  stayed  the  meeting,  and  was  well  satisfied 
with  it.  After  the  meeting,  I  spoke  to  him  to  leave  two  of 
the  men  he  had  impressed  in  our  ship  (for  he  had  impressed 
four)  one  of  which  was  a  lame  man ;  he  said,  '  at  my  request, 
he  would.' 

"  We  went  on  shore  that  afternoon,  and  got  to  Shearhamp- 
ton.  We  procured  horses,  and  rode  to  Bristol  that  night, 
where  Friends  received  us  with  great  joy.  In  the  evening  I 
wrote  a  letter  to  my  wife,  to  give  her  notice  of  my  landing. 

"  DEAR  HEART  :  —  This  day  we  came  into  Bristol,  near 
night,  from  the  sea ;  glory  to  the  Lord  God  over  all  for  ever, 
who  was  our  convoy,  and  steered  our  course !  who  is  the  God 
of  the  whole  earth,  of  the  seas  and  winds,  and  made  the 
clouds  his  chariots ;  beyond  all  words  blessed  be  his  name 
forever !  He  is  over  all,  in  his  great  power  and  wisdom, 
amen.  Robert  Widders  and  James  Lancaster  are  with  me, 
and  we  are  well.  Glory  to  the  Lord  forever,  who  hath  carried 
us  through  many  perils ;  perils  by  water,  and  in  storms,  perils 
by  pirates  and  robbers,  perils  in  the  wilderness,  and  amongst 
false  professors ;  praises  to  him  whose  glory  is  over  all  for- 
ever, amen !  Therefore  mind  the  fresh  life,  and  all  live  to 
God  in  it.  I  intend  (if  the  Lord  will)  to  stay  awhile  this  way. 
It  may  be  till  the  fair.  So  no  more,  but  my  love  to  all 
Friends. 

GEORGE  Fox." 

Bristol,  the  28th  of  the  4th  month,  1673. 

Soon  after  the  foregoing  letter  was  written,  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  meeting  his  wife,  who  came  to  Bristol,  accom- 
panied by  her  son-in-law,  Thomas  Lower,  and  two  of  her 
daughters.  At  the  same  time,  her  other  son-in-law,  John 
Rouse,  William  Penn  and  his  wife,  Gerard  Roberts,  and 


340  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

George  Whitehead,  came  from  London.  It  being  the  time  of 
the  great  fair,  large  numbers  were  present  from  different 
parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  Friends  had  "glorious  and 
powerful  meetings,"  in  which  the  Lord's  power  was  eminently 
felt  amongst  them. 

During  one  year  of  the  time  that  George  Fox  was  em- 
ployed in  his  mission  to  America,  his  friends  in  Great  Britain 
had  enjoyed  a  respite  from  persecution.  In  the  year  1672, 
Charles  II.  issued  a  "  declaration  of  indulgence,"  by  which 
the  penal  laws  against  non-conformists  were  suspended.  Soon 
after  its  publication,  he  was  induced  by  the  solicitation  of 
George  "Whitehead,  Thomas  Moor  and  Thomas  Green,  to 
grant  under  the  great  seal  a  general  pardon  and  discharge  to 
all  the  Friends  then  in  prison,  numbering  about  400,  many 
of  whom  had  been  separated  from  their  families  and  homes  six 
or  seven  years.  Some  of  the  other  dissenters,  seeing  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Friends,  applied  to  George  Whitehead  for  advice 
and  assistance  in  a  similar  application ;  and  through  his  aid, 
the  names  of  several  Presbyterians,  Independents,  and 
Baptists,  who  were  imprisoned  for  non-conformity,  were  in- 
serted in  the  same  instrument  that  secured  the  liberation 
of  the  Friends.  Among  the  dissenters  thus  restored  to  liberty 
was  John  Bunyan,  the  celebrated  author  of  Pilgrim's  Pro- 
gress, who,  during  twelve  years,  had  been  a  prisoner  for  con- 
science' sake.* 

The  relief  afforded  by  the  king's  clemency  was  gratefully 
accepted,  but  proved  to  be  of  short  duration  ;  for  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  he  was  induced  by  hisjnecessities  to  yield  to  the 
wishes  of  Parliament,  by  revoking  the  declaration  of  indul- 
gence, and  then  the  spirit  of  intolerance  again  broke  forth 
with  unabated  fury. 

From  Bristol,  George  Fox  proceeded  to  Gloucestershire  and 
Wiltshire,  where  he  had  many  large  and  precious  meetings, 
and  much  service  in  the  gospel  ministry. 

*  George  Whitehead' s  Christian  Progress,  350-60,  and  Barclay's 
Letters  of  Early  Friends,  in  Friends'  Library,  XL  382. 


HIS   VISIT  TO   WILLIAM   PENN.  341 

During  this  journey,  he  met  with  some  who  had  manifested 
much  opposition  to  women's  meetings  for  church  discipline ; 
and  he  was  enabled  to  point  out  the  service  of  those  meet- 
ings with  so  much  clearness,  that  one  of  the  chief  opposers 
saw  and  acknowledged  his  error.  Pursuing  his  journey 
through  several  counties,  he  came  to  Kingston  upon  Thames, 
where  his  wife  and  one  of  her  daughters  again  met  him. 
After  a  short  stay  at  Kingston,  he  went  to  London,  and  was 
for  some  time  engaged  in  the  city  and  its  vicinity,  preaching 
the  gospel,  and  attending  to  the  sufferings  of  Friends. 

One  of  the  pretexts  under  which  they  were  persecuted, 
was  that  they  opened  their  shop-windows  on  holy-days  and 
fast-days,  being  unwilling  to  comply  with  "  the  observation  of 
days,"  imposed  by  human  authority.  George  Fox  maintained 
that,  "  as  the  true  Christians  did  not  observe  the  Jews'  holy- 
days  in  the  apostles'  times,  neither  could  Friends  observe  the 
heathens'  and  Papists'  holy-days  (so  called),  which  have  set  up 
amongst  those  called  Christians,  since  the  apostles'  days. 
"For  we  were  redeemed  out  of  days  by  Christ  Jesus,  and 
brought  into  the  day  which  hath  sprung  from  on  high,  and  are 
come  into  Him,  who  is  Lord  of  the  Jewish  sabbath,  and  the 
substance  of  the  Jews'  signs." 

On  leaving  London,  he  went  with  his  wife  and  her  daughter 
to  pay  a  visit  at  Rickmansworth,  the  residence  of  William 
Penn.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  no^further  account 
of  this  visit,  for  it  must  have  been  a  season  of  the  highest 
social  enjoyment,  when  George  and  Margaret  Fox,  both  re- 
markable for  vigour  of  intellect  and  depth  of  religious  expe- 
rience, mingled  in  familiar  converse  with  the  gifted  William 
Penn  and  his  lovely  Gulielma. 


342  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Arrested  and  committed  to  Worcester  Jail — T.  Lower  remains  with  him 
— Examination  at  the  Sessions — Taken  to  London — Appears  before 
the  Court  of  King's  Bench — Sent  back  to  Worcester — Conversation 
with  a  Priest — Doctrine  of  Perfection — Trial  at  the  Quarter  Sessions 
— Permitted  to  Travel — Attends  Yearly  Meeting — Second  Trial  at 
Worcester — Premunired — Sickness  in  Prison — Pardon  offered,  and 
declined — Letter  from  William  Penn — Trial  at  London  before  Judge 
Hale — Released  from  Prison. 

1673-5. 

IT  was  the  lot  of  George  Fox  to  experience  many  vicissi- 
tudes, but  through  Divine  grace,  "  he  had  learned  in  whatso- 
ever state  he  was,  therewith  to  he  content;"  he  knew  both 
how  to  be  abased,  and  how  to  abound,  and  could  say  with  the 
devoted  apostle,  "  Every  where  and  in  all  things  I  am  in- 
structed, both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and 
to  sufier  need.  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who 
strengthens  me." 

At  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter,  we  left  him  in  the 
enjoyment  of  social  intercourse  and  religious  communion,  at 
the  hospitable  mansion  of  William  Penn ;  now  we  must  follow 
him  to  the  gloomy  cells  of  a  prison,  which,  in  that  age  of 
bigotry,  were  made  the  receptacles  alike  of  hardened  vice  and 
of  persecuted  virtue. 

Accompanied  by  his  wife,  her  daughter,  and  her  son-in-law 
Thomas  Lower,  he  was  travelling  through  Worcestershire, 
when  he  was  arrested  by  Henry  Parker,  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
who  had  with  him  a  priest  named  Rowland  Haines.  These 
two  persecutors,  hearing  that  he  was  to  attend  a  meeting  at 
Armscot,  in  Tredington  parish,  concerted  together  for  his 
apprehension ;  but  coming  too  late  for  the  meeting,  they  fol- 
lowed him  to  a  Friend's  house,  where  they  arrested  both  him 
and  -Thomas  Lower,  and  by  a  mittimus  dated  the  17th  of 
December,  1673,  sent  them  to  Worcester  jail. 


HE   IS   AGAIN   IMPKISONED.  343 

When  they  had  been  some  time  in  prison,  they  concluded 
to  lay  their  case  before  Lord  Windsor,  the  lieutenant  of  the 
county;  and  accordingly,  they  drew  up  a  statement  of  the 
facts,  showing  that  they  were  illegally  taken  at  a  friend's 
house,  not  being  at  the  time  in  a  religious  meeting.  In  this 
paper,  George  Fox  states  that  "  he  was  bringing  forward  his 
wife  on  her  journey  towards  her  home  in  the  north,  and  that 
having  received  a  message  from  his  mother,  an  ancient  woman 
in  Leicestershire,  that  she  earnestly  desired  to  see  him  before 
she  died,  he  intended,  as  soon  as  he  had  brought  his  wife  on 
her  journey  as  far  as  Causal  in  Warwickshire,  to  turn  into 
Leicestershire  to  visit  his  mother  and  relations  there,  and  then 
to  return  to  London."  No  release  being  obtained  from  this 
application,  they  were  still  detained  in  prison  to  await  the 
quarter  sessions. 

In  the  meantime,  great  interest  was  made  at  London  on 
behalf  of  Thomas  Lower,  whose  brother  was  one  of  the  king's 
physicians.  Through  his  influence,  a  letter  was  obtained  from 
Henry  Savil,  an  officer  of  the  king's  bed-chamber,  addressed 
to  his  brother  Lord  Windsor;  but  Thomas,  seeing  that  the 
letter  related  only  to  his  own  enlargement,  declined  to  have  it 
delivered,  for  such  was  his  affection  for  George  Fox,  that  he 
chose  to  remain  with  him  in  prison,  rather  than  to  leave  him 
there  and  accept  his  own  liberty. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  sessions,  being  the  21st  of  the  llth 
month,  1673,  0.  S.,  (equivalent  to  January,  1674,)  they  were 
called  into  court,  when  Justice  Parker  evinced  the  most  deter- 
mined hostility,  by  making  a  long  speech  to  prejudice  the 
court  against  them.  Thomas  Lower  was  first  examined,  con- 
cerning the  cause  of  his  coming  into  that  county,  of  which  he 
gave  them  a  full  and  plain  account.  George  Fox  having  inter- 
posed a  few  words,  they  told  him  they  were  not  then  exam- 
ining him,  but  when  it  came  to  his  turn,  he  should  have  liberty 
to  speak  without  hindrance,  and  that  they  would  not  ensnare 
him.  The  examination  of  Thomas  Lower  being  ended,  the 
court  proceeded  with  George  Fox,  and  put  to  him  the  same 


344  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

questions.  He  answered  by  stating  the  object  of  his  journey, 
and  the  manner  of  his  arrest ;  and  he  continued,  "  Whereas, 
Justice  Parker,  to  aggravate  the  case,  has  said  that  when  I 
was  taken,  some  were  with  me  from  London,  some  from  Corn- 
wall, and  some  from  Bristol ;  these  were  in  a  manner  all  but 
one  family ;  for  there  was  none  from  London  but  myself;  none 
from  the  north  but  my  wife  and  her  daughter;  none  from 
Cornwall  but  my  son-in-law,  Thomas  Lower;  nor  any  from 
Bristol  but  one  Friend,  a  merchant  there,  who  met  us,  as  it 
were,  providentially,  to  assist  my  wife  and  her  daughter  on 
their  journey  homewards,  when,  by  our  imprisonment,  they 
were  deprived  of  our  company  and  help." 

The  chairman  of  the  sessions,  Justice  Simpson,  an  old 
Presbyterian,  then  said,  "Your  relation  or  account  is  very 
innocent."  After  interchanging  whispers  with  Parker,  he 
rose  up  and  added :  "  You,  Mr.  Fox,  are  a  famous  man,  and 
all  this  may  be  true  which  you  have  said,  but  that  we  may  be 
better  satisfied,  will  you  take  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and 
supremacy?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Ye  have  promised  not  to  ensnare  us  ;  but 
this  is  evidently  a  snare,  for  ye  know  that  we  cannot  take  any 
oath." 

The  oath  was  then  read  by  order  of  the  court. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  never  took  an  oath  in  my  life,  but  have 
always  been  true  to  the  government.  I  was  cast  into  prison 
at  Derby,  and  kept  a  prisoner  there  six  months,  because  I 
would  not  take  up  arms  against  the  late  King  Charles  at  Wor- 
cester fight ;  and  for  going  to  meetings,  was  carried  out  of 
Leicestershire,  and  brought  before  Oliver  Cromwell,  as  a 
plotter  to  bring  in  the  present  King  Charles.  And  ye  know 
in  your  consciences  that  we,  the  people  called  Quakers,  cannot 
take  an  oath,  nor  swear  in  any  case,  because  Christ  hath  for- 
bidden it.  But  as  to  the  matter  or  substance  contained  in  the 
oaths,  this  I  can  do  and  say,  that  I  do  own  and  acknowledge 
the  King  of  England  to  be  lawful  heir  and  successor  to  the 
realm  of  England,  and  do  abhor  all  plots  and  plotters,  and 


FOX  AND  LOWER  EXAMINED.  345 

contrivances  against  him ;  and  I  have  nothing  in  my  heart  but 
love  and  good-will  to  him  and  to  all  men,  and  desire  his  and 
their  prosperity ;  the  Lord  knoweth  it,  before  whom  I  stand 
an  innocent  man.  And  as  to  the  oath  of  supremacy,  I  deny 
the  pope,  his  power,  and  his  religion,  and  abhor  it  with  my 
heart." 

COURT.     "  Give  him  the  book,  give  him  the  book." 
GEORGE  Fox.     "  The  book  saith,  '  Swear  not  at  all.'  " 
CHAIRMAN  AND  JUSTICES.     "  Take  him  away,  jailer." 
George  Fox  still  continued  his  defence,  and  the  bench  be- 
came clamorous,  and  cried  out,  "  Take  him  away.     We  shall 
have  a  meeting  here.    Why  do  you  not  take  him  away  ?    That 
fellow  (the  jailer)  loves  to  hear  him  preach." 

GEORGE  Fox,  (stretching  out  his  arm,)  "  The  Lord  forgive 
you,  who  cast  me  into  prison  for  obeying  the  doctrine  of 
Christ.  Thus,"  he  says,  "they  broke  their  promise  in  the 
face  of  the  country ;  for  they  promised  that  I  should  have  free 
liberty  to  speak,  but  now  denied  it ;  and  they  promised  that 
they  would  not  ensnare  us,  yet  now  they  tendered  me  the 
oaths  on  purpose  to  ensnare  me." 

After  he  was  removed  from  the  court,  Thomas  Lower  was 
told  by  the  justices  that  "he  was  at  liberty."  He  then  began 
to  reason  with  them  on  the  injustice  of  liberating  him  and 
detaining  his  father-in-law,  when  both  were  taken  under  the 
same  circumstances.  But  the  chairman  replied,  "You  may 
go  about  your  business,  for  we  have  nothing  more  to  say  to 
you,  seeing  you  are  discharged."  After  the  court  was  risen, 
he  visited  the  justices  at  their  chamber,  when  the  following 
discourse  ensued: 

T.  LOWER.  "I  desire  to  know  what  cause  you  have  to 
detain  my  father,  seeing  you  have  discharged  me?  Is  not 
this  partiality  ?  Will  it  not  be  a  blemish  upon  you  ?" 

JUSTICE  SIMPSON.  "  If  you  be  not  content,  we  will  tender 
you  the  oaths  also,  and  send  you  to  your  father." 

T.  LOWER.  "  Ye  may  do  so,  if  ye  think  fit ;  but  whether 
ye  send  me  to  prison  or  not,  I  intend  to  go  and  wait 


346  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

upon  my  father  there ;  for  that  is  now  my  business  in  this 
country." 

JUSTICE  PARKER.  "  Do  you  think,  Mr.  Lower,  that  I  had 
not  cause  to  send  you  and  your  father  to  prison,  when  you 
had  such  a  great  meeting,  that  the  parson  of  the  parish  com- 
plained to  me  that  he  had  lost  the  greatest  part  of  his  parish- 
ioners ;  so  that  when  he  comes  among  them,  he  has  scarcely 
any  auditors  left?" 

T.  LOWER.  "  I  have  heard  that  the  priest  of  that  parish 
comes  so  seldom  to  visit  his  flock,  (but  once,  it  may  be,  or 
twice  in  a  year,  to  gather  up  his  tithes,)  that  it  was  but  charity 
in  my  father  to  visit  such  a  forlorn  and  forsaken  flock ;  there- 
fore thou  hast  no  occasion  to  send  my  father  to  prison  for 
visiting  them,  or  for  teaching,  instructing,  and  directing  them 
to  Christ,  their  true  teacher,  who  had  so  little  comfort  or 
benefit  from  their  pretended  pastor,  who  comes  among  them 
only  to  seek  for  his  gain  from  his  quarter." 

Upon  this  the  justices  laughed  heartily,  for  Doctor  Crow- 
der,  the  priest  alluded  to,  was  sitting  among  them,  though 
unknown  to  Thomas  Lower ;  and  the  doctor  had  the  good 
sense  to  remain  silent,  not  attempting  to  vindicate  himself  in 
a  matter  so  well  known  to  be  true.  He  was  afterwards,  how- 
ever, so  much  annoyed  with  the  raillery  which  ensued  upon 
this  exposure,  that  he  threatened  to  sue  Thomas  Lower  in  the 
Bishops'  Court,  for  defamation.  Thomas,  when  he  heard  of 
it,  sent  word  that  he  would  answer  his  suit  at  any  time,  and 
bring  the  whole  parish  in  evidence  against  him.  This  cooled 
his  impatience  ;  but,  some  time  after,  he  came  to  the  prison, 
and  brought  with  him  a  prebendary  of  Worcester,  when,  ad- 
dressing himself  to  George  Fox,  he  said,  "  What  are  you  in 
prison  for?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Dost  thou  not  know  that?  Wast  thou 
not  upon  the  bench  when  the  justices  tendered  the  oath  to 
me  ?  And  hadst  not  thou  an  hand  in  it  ?" 

DOCTOR  CROWDER.     "  It  is  lawful  to  swear ;  Christ  did  not 


HE  IS  REMOVED  TO  LONDON.  347 

forbid  swearing  before  a  magistrate,  but  swearing  by  the  sun, 
and  the  like." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Prove  that  by  the  scriptures,  if  thou 
canst." 

DOCTOR  C.  "  St.  Paul  says,  '  All  things  are  lawful  to  me.' 
Therefore,  swearing  was  lawful  to  him." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "By  this  argument  thou  mayst  also  affirm 
that  drunkenness,  adultery,  and  all  manner  of  sin,  is  lawful." 

DOCTOR  C.     "  Why,  do  you  hold  that  adultery  is  unlawful  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  Yes,  that  I  do." 

DOCTOR  C.  "Why,  this  contradicts  the.  saying  of  St. 
Paul." 

George  Fox  then  called  the  attention  of  the  jailer  and 
others  present,  to  the  strange  doctrine  advanced  by  his  oppo- 
nent. Upon  this  the  doctor  said,  "  He  would  give  it  from 
under  his  hand,"  and  took  a  pen,  but  wrote  very  differently 
from  what  he  had  asserted. 

Soon  after  the  sessions,  through  the  exertions  of  Friends 
in  London,  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  sent  to  Worcester,  to 
bring  George  Fox  before  the  court  of  the  king's  bench ;  and 
the  sheriff,  having  entire  confidence  in  him,  made  Thomas 
Lower  his  deputy,  to  convey  him  to  the  metropolis.  He  was 
brought  before  Judge  Wilde,  and  after  being  permitted  to 
speak  for  himself  in  relation  to  his  false  imprisonment,  he  was 
ordered  to  appear  in  court  again  the  next  day.  He  accord- 
ingly went  at  the  time  appointed,  and  was  treated  with  civility. 
"  The  Lord's  presence,"  he  says,  "was  with  me,  and  his  power, 
I  felt,  was  over  all.  I  stood  and  heard  the  king's  attorney, 
whose  name  was  Jones,  who  indeed  spoke  notably  on  my 
behalf,  as  did  also  another  counsellor  after  him,  and  the 
judges,  who  were  three,  were  all  very  moderate,  not  casting 
any  reflecting  words  upon  me."  At  length,  being  permitted 
to  speak  for  himself,  he  related  the  cause  of  his  journey,  the 
manner  of  his  arrest,  the  course  pursued  by  the  justices  at  his 
trial,  and  the  declaration  of  fidelity  he  had  offered  to  sign, 
instead  of  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and  supremacy. 


348  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

When  lie  had  ended,  the  chief-justice  said,  "  He  was  now 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court  of  the  king's  bench ;  they 
would  consider  the  case  further,  and  if  they  found  any  error 
in  the  record  or  in  the  proceedings,  he  should  be  set  at 
liberty."  Being  delivered  to  an  officer  of  that  court,  he  was 
permitted  to  go  to  a  Friend's  house  to  lodge,  and  next  day  at 
the  appointed  hour,  he  surrendered  himself  to  the  same  officer. 
But  his  prospect  of  delivery  was  now  obstructed  by  his  im- 
placable adversary,  Justice  Parker,  who,  with  some  of  his  con- 
federates, having  come  to  London,  moved  the  court  that  he 
might  be  sent  .back  to  Worcester,  and  they  employed  four 
counsellors  to  plead  against  him.  They  prevailed  with  the 
court  to  give  judgment,  "  That  he  should  be  sent  down  to  Wor- 
cester sessions,"  but  the  prisoner  was  informed  that  "he  might 
give  bail  to  appear  at  the  sessions  and  to  be  of  good  behaviour 
in  the  meantime."  George  Fox  replied,  "  I  never  was  of  ill 
behaviour  in  my  life,  and  you  might  as  well  put  the  oath  to 
me  here  as  to  send  me  to  Worcester,  to  be  ensnared  by  the 
justices  in  their  putting  the  oath  to  me,  and  then  premuniring 
me,  who  never  took  an  oath  in  my  life.  If  I  break  my  yea, 
or  nay,  I  am  content  to  suffer  the  same  penalty  as  those  who 
break  their  oaths."  His  adversaries  had  spread  a  malicious 
report,  "  That  when  he  was  arrested,  there  were  many  sub- 
stantial men  with  him  out  of  different  parts  of  the  nation, — 
that  they  had  a  plot  in  hand, — and  that  Thomas  Lower,  after 
being  set  at  liberty,  stayed  with  him  in  prison,  to  carry  on 
their  design."  Yet  so  inconsistent  was  the  judge,  that  in 
remanding  him  to  Worcester  jail,  he  allowed  him  to  go  down 
at  his  leisure,  in  his  own  way,  only  requiring  a  promise  from 
him  that  he  would  be  there  at  the  assize.  It  is  evident  that 
the  court  had  entire  confidence  in  his  veracity  and  integrity; 
they  did  not  believe  him  guilty,  but  suffered  the  course  of 
justice  to  be  perverted  in  order  to  satisfy  the  clamour  of  his 
adversaries. 

He  stayed  in  London  and  its  vicinity  until  the  latter  part 
of  the  first  month  (March)  1674,  and  then  proceeded  to  Wor- 


HIS   CASE   REFERRED   TO   THE   SESSIONS.  349 

cester  in  time  for  the  assize  which  commenced  the  2d  of  the 
second  month.  Having  understood  that  justice  Parker  and 
the  clerk  of  the  court,  had  agreed  to  omit  his  name  in  the 
calendar,  in  order  that  he  might  not  be  brought  before  the 
judge,  he  induced  the  judge's  son  to  move  in  court  that  he 
should  be  called.  Accordingly  he  appeared  before  Judge 
Turner,  his  old  adversary,  who  had  formerly  tendered  him  the 
oaths,  and  premunired  him  at  Lancaster. 

JUDGE.    "  What  do  you  desire,  George  Fox  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  My  liberty,  according  to  justice." 

JUDGE.     "  Will  you  take  the  oath?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  desire  the  court  to  hear  the  manner  of 
my  being  taken  and  committed."  He  then  proceeded  to  give 
a  relation  of  his  arrest  and  trial,  adding,  "  That  his  mother, 
an  aged  woman,  had  expressed  a  desire  to  see  him  before  she 
died,  but  hearing  of  his  imprisonment,  she  was  so  grieved  that 
she  survived  but  a  short  time."  He  then  expressed  his  will- 
ingness to  sign  a  declaration  of  his  loyalty  to  the  king,  his 
denial  of  papal  supremacy,  and  his  abhorrence  of  all  plots 
and  conspiracies. 

The  judge,  being  instigated  by  Parker,  and  willing  to  re- 
lieve himself  of  trouble,  referred  the  case  back  to  the  sessions, 
desiring  the  justices  to  end  it  there,  and  not  to  bring  it  again 
before  the  assizes.  The  prisoner  was,  however,  allowed  to 
lodge  at  a  Friend's  house,  and  to  have  the  liberty  of  the  town 
until  the  sessions. 

During  this  interval,  he  informs  us  in  his  Journal,  he  had 
some  service  for  the  Lord  with  several  that  came  to  visit  him. 
At  one  time  there  came  three  non-conformist  ministers  and 
two  lawyers,  to  discourse  with  him.  One  of  the  clergymen 
undertook  to  prove,  that  "  The  scriptures  are  the  only  rule 
of  life."  George  Fox,  after  refuting  his  proof,  proceeded  to 
demonstrate  "  the  right  and  proper  use  of  the  scriptures, 
and  their  excellency ;  and  also  to  show  that  the  Spirit  of  God, 
which  is  given  to  every  one  to  profit  withal — the  grace  of 
God  which  bringeth  salvation  and  hath  appeared  to  all  men, 


350  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

and  teacheth  them  that  obey  it  to  deny  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this 
present  world  —  is  the  most  fit,  proper  and  universal  rule 
which  God  hath  given  to  all  mankind,  by  which  to  rule,  direct, 
govern  and  order  their  lives." 

In  another  company  that  came  to  see  him,  there  was  a 
priest  of  the  established  church,  who  inquired,  "If  he  was 
grown  up  to  perfection." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "What  I  am,  I  am  by  the  grace  of  God." 

PRIEST.  "  That  is  a  modest  and  civil  answer,  but  '  If  we 
say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves  and  the  truth  is  not  in 
us  ?'  What  do  you  say  to  this  doctrine  of  the  apostle  John?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  say  with  the  same  apostle,  i  If  we  say 
we  have  not  sinned,  we  make  him  a  liar  and  his  word  is  not  in 
us  who  came  to  destroy  sin  and  to  take  away  sin.'  So  there  is 
a  time  for  people  to  see  that  they  have  sinned,  and  there  is  a 
time  for  them  to  see  that  they  have  sin,  and  there  is  a  time 
for  them  to  confess  their  sin,  and  to  forsake  it,  and  to  know 
the  blood  of  Christ  to  cleanse  them  from  all  sin.  Was  not 
Adam  perfect  before  he  fell  ?  And  were  not  all  God's  works 
perfect  ?" 

PRIEST.  "  There  might  be  a  perfection,  as  Adam  had, 
and  a  falling  from  it." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  But  there  is  a  perfection  in  Christ  above 
Adam,  and  beyond  falling ;  and  it  was  the  work  of  the  minis- 
ters of  Christ  to  present  every  man  perfect  in  Christ ;  for  the 
perfecting  of  whom  they  had  their  gifts  from  Christ ;  there- 
fore they  that  deny  perfection  deny  the  work  of  the  ministry ; 
and  the  gifts  which  Christ  gave  for  the  perfecting  of  the 
saints." 

PRIEST.     "We  must  be  always  striving." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "It  is  a  sad  and  uncomfortable  sort  of 
striving,  to  strive  with  a  belief  that  we  shall  never  overcome. 
Paul,  who  cried  out  of  the  body  of  death,  did  also  thank  God 
who  gave  him  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  So 
there  is  a  tune  of  crying  out  for  want  of  victory,  and  a  time 


ARRAIGNED   BEFORE   THE   SESSIONS.  351 

of  praising  God  for  the  victory.  And  Paul  said,  "  There  is 
no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

PRIEST.     "  Job  was  not  perfect." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  God  said  Job  was  a  perfect  man,  that  he 
did  shun  evil ;  and  the  devil  was  forced  to  confess  that  '  God 
had  set  an  hedge  about  him,'  which  was  not  an  outward  hedge, 
but  the  invisible  heavenly  power." 

PRIEST.  "Job  said,  'He  chargeth  his  angels  with  folly, 
and  the  heavens  are  not  clean  in  his  sight.'  " 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  That  is  a  mistake :  it  was  not  Job  that 
said  so,  but  Eliphaz,  who  contended  against  Job." 

PRIEST.  "  Well,  but  what  say  you  to  that  scripture,  '  The 
justest  man  that  is,  sinneth  seven  times  a  day'  ?  " 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Why  truly,  I  say  there  is  no  such  scrip- 
ture." 

This  ended  the  discussion. 

The  next  Quarter  Sessions  began  the  29th  of  the  2d  month 
(April),  and  George  Fox  being  brought  to  the  bar,  Justice 
Street,  the  chairman,  endeavoured  to  prejudice  the  court 
against  him,  by  stating  that  he  had  a  meeting  at  Tredington, 
of  persons  from  all  parts  of  the  nation,  to  the  terrifying  of 
the  king's  subjects,  for  which  he  was  committed  to  prison. 
He  added,  "  That  for  the  trial  of  his  fidelity,  the  oaths  had 
been  tendered  to  him ;  and  now,  having  had  time  to  consider 
of  it,  he  asked  him  whether  he  was  willing  to  take  the  oaths?" 

George  Fox,  having  obtained  permission  to  speak,  stated, 
as  he  had  done  before,  that  those  who  were  with  him  when  he 
was  taken,  were,  with  one  exception,  all  members  of  his  own 
family ;  they  were  on  their  journey,  and  the  meeting  they  had 
attended  was  peaceable,  and  without  arms,  nor  could  any  one 
say  he  was  terrified  by  it.  As  to  the  oaths,  he  had  already 
shown  why  he  could  not  take  them,  and  what  he  was  willing 
to  sign  in  lieu  of  them. 

The  oaths  having  been  tendered,  the  indictment  was  read  to 
the  jury,  and  the  chairman  said  to  the  prisoner,  "  j^re  you 
guilty?" 


352  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "Nay;  for  it  is  a  great  bundle  of  lies. 
Dost  thou  not  know  in  thy  conscience  that  the  statements  in 
the  indictment  are  lies  ?" 

CHAIRMAN.     "It  is  our  form." 

GEORGE  Fox.     "  It  is  not  a  true  form." 

CHAIRMAN.     "  Are  you  guilty  ?" 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  am  not  guilty  of  the  matter  nor  of  the 
form,  for  I  am  against  the  Pope  and  popery,  and  will  acknow- 
ledge and  set  hand  to  that." 

The  chairman  then  instructed  the  jury  how  they  should 
proceed,  and  what  they  should  write  on  the  back  of  the  in- 
dictment. 

GEORGE  Fox,  (to  the  jury,)  "  It  is  for  Christ's  sake,  and  in 
obedience  to  his  and  his  apostles'  command,  that  I  cannot 
swear ;  therefore  take  heed  what  ye  do,  for  before  his  judg- 
ment-seat ye  shall  all  be  brought." 

CHAIRMAN.     "  This  is  canting." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "If  to  confess  Christ,  our  Lord  and 
Saviour,  and  to  obey  his  command,  be  called  canting  by  a 
judge  of  a  court,  it  is  to  little  purpose  for  me  to  say  more 
among  you ;  yet  ye  shall  see  that  I  am  a  Christian,  and  shall 
show  forth  Christianity,  and  my  innocency  shall  be  manifest." 

Upon  this  the  jailer  led  him  out  of  court,  and  the  crowds 
in  attendance  were  so  affected  by  the  integrity  and  dignity  of 
his  character,  that  they  treated  him  with  marked  respect. 
"The  people,"  he  says,  "were  generally  tender  as  if  they 
had  been  in  a  meeting." 

Soon  after,  he  was  again  called  into  court,  and  the  jury 
found  a  verdict  against  him,  which  he  traversed.  He  was 
then  required  to  give  bail  until  the  next  sessions,  and  the 
jailer's  son  offered  to  be  his  surety.  He  declined,  however, 
on  the  same  grounds  as  stated  on  a  former  occasion,  and  the 
chairman  sent  him  to  prison.  He  had  not  remained  there 
more  than  two  hours,  when  some  of  the  other  justices,  who 
were  more  moderate,  procured  his  liberation,  on  his  promising 
to  appear  at  the  next  Quarter  Sessions. 


ERRORS   IN  THE   INDICTMENT.  353 

As  soon  as  he  could  procure  a  copy  of  the  indictment,  he 
proceeded  to  London,  visiting  Friends  as  he  went.  Here 
some  of  his  friends,  who  were  earnest  to  rescue  him  out  of 
the  hands  of  his  persecutors,  procured  a  writ  of  Habeas  Cor- 
pus, to  bring  him  again  before  the  judges  of  the  King's 
Bench ;  but  the  case  had  proceeded  so  far,  that  they  would 
not  interfere,  and  he  was  left  to  appear  at  the  next  Quarter 
Sessions  at  Worcester.  "While  in  London,"  he  says,  "the 
Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends  came  on,  at  which  I  was  present ; 
and  exceeding  glorious  the  meetings  were,  beyond  expression  ; 
blessed  be  the  Lord !" 

When  the  sessions  came  on  at  Worcester,  in  the  5th  month 
(July,)  he  appeared  according  to  promise,  and  being  called  to 
the  bar,  the  indictment  was  read,  but  some  scruples  arising 
among  the  jury  concerning  it,  the  chairman,  Justice  Street, 
immediately  caused  the  oath  to  be  tendered  to  him  again. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  come  now  to  try  the  traverse  of  my 
indictment,  and  thy  tendering  the  oaths  to  me  again  is  a  new 
snare.  I  desire  thee  to  tell  me  whether  the  oaths  are  to  be 
tendered  to  the  king's  subjects,  or  to  the  subjects  of  foreign 
princes  ?" 

CHAIRMAN.     "  To  the  subjects  of  this  realm." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "You  have  not  named  me  subject  in  the 
indictment,  and  therefore  have  not  brought  me  within  the 
statute." 

CHAIRMAN,  (to  the  clerk,)  "  Read  the  oath  to  him." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  require  justice.  I  wish  to  know  whe- 
ther the  sessions  ought  not  to  have  been  holden  for  the  king 
and  the  body  of  the  county?" 

CHAIRMAN.     "  Yes." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Then  you  have  left  the  king  out  of  the 
indictment ;  how  then  can  you  proceed  upon  this  indictment 
to  a  trial  between  the  king  and  me,  seeing  the  king  is  left 
out?" 

CHAIRMAN.     "  The  king  was  in  before." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  But  the  king's  name  being  left  out  here, 
23 


354  LIFE   OF   GEORGE  FOX. 

is  a  great  error  in  the  indictment,  and  sufficient,  as  I  am  in- 
formed, to  quash  it.  Besides,  I  was  committed  by  the  name 
of  George  Fox  of  London;  but  now  I  am  indicted  by  the 
name  of  George  Fox  of  Tredington,  in  the  county  of  Wor- 
cester. I  therefore  wish  the  jury  to  consider,  how  they  can 
find  me  guilty  upon  that  indictment,  seeing  I  am  not  of  the 
place  the  indictment  mentions?" 

CHAIRMAN.  "  There  certainly  are  errors  in  the  indictment ; 
but  you  may  take  your  remedy  in  its  proper  place." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  You  know  that  we  are  a  people  that  suffer 
all  things,  and  bear  all  things ;  and  therefore  ye  use  us  thus, 
because  we  cannot  revenge  ourselves;  but  we  leave  our  cause 
to  the  Lord." 

CHAIRMAN.  "  The  oath  hath  been  tendered  to  you  several 
limes,  and  we  will  have  some  satisfaction  from  you  concerning 
the  oath." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  offer  the  same  declaration  instead  of  the 
oath,  which  I  offered  to  the  judges  before.  But  seeing  ye  put 
the  oath  anew  to  me,  I  desire  to  know  whether  the  indictment 
is  quashed  or  not  ?" 

The  Chairman,  not  regarding  this  question,  told  the  jury, 
"They  might  go  out."  Some  of  them  expressed  themselves 
dissatisfied,  and  the  judge  told  them,  "  They  had  heard  a  man 
swear  that  the  oath  was  tendered  to  him  the  last  sessions ;" 
and  he  directed  them  how  they  should  find. 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  Thou  shouldst  leave  the  jury  to  their  own 
consciences." 

After  they  had  found  a  verdict  of  "  Guilty,"  George  Fox 
said  to  them,  "  How  can  ye  satisfy  yourselves  to  find  me 
guilty  upon  that  indictment,  which  is  laid  so  false,  and  has 
so  many  errors  in  it?"  They  could  make  but  little  answer, 
he  says;  "yet  one,  who  seemed  to  be  the  worst  of  them, 
would  have  taken  me  by  the  hand ;  but  I  put  him  by,  saying, 
*  How  now,  Judas,  hast  thou  betrayed  me,  and  dost  thou  now 
come  with  a  kiss?'  So  I  bid  both  him  and  the  rest  repent." 

CHAIRMAN.  "I  wish  you  to  consider,  Mr.  Fox,  how  fa- 
vourable the  court  has  been  to  you." 


ADJUDGED    TO    PRISON  AGAIN.  355 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  How  canst  thou  say  so  ?  Was  ever  a  man 
worse  dealt  by  than  I  have  been  in  this  case,  who  was  stopped 
in  my  journey,  when  travelling  upon  my  lawful  occasions,  and 
imprisoned  without  a  cause ;  and  now  have  had  oaths  put  to 
me  only  for  a  snare  ?  I  desire  thou  wouldst  answer  me  in  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  in  whose  presence  we  all  are,  whether 
this  oath  is  not  tendered  to  me  in  envy  ?" 

CHAIRMAN.  "  Would  you  had  never  come  here,  to  trouble 
us  and  the  county." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "I  came  not  hither  of  myself,  but  was 
brought,  being  stopped  in  my  journey.  I  have  not  troubled 
you,  but  ye  have  brought  trouble  upon  yourselves." 

CHAIRMAN.  "  Well,  the  sentence  which  I  have  to  pass  is  a 
very  sad  one." 

GEORGE  Fox.  "  I  wish  to  know,  whether  what  thou  art 
going  to  say  is  by  way  of  passing  sentence,  or  for  information ; 
for  I  have  many  things  to  say,  and  more  errors  to  assign  in 
the  indictment  besides  those  I  have  already  mentioned,  to  stop 
thee  from  giving  sentence  against  me  upon  that  indictment." 

CHAIRMAN.  "  I  am  going  to  show  you  the  danger  of  a 
premunire,  which  is  loss  of  your  liberty,  and  of  all  your  goods 
and  chattels,  and  to  suffer  imprisonment  during  life.  But  I 
do  not  deliver  this  as  the  sentence  of  the  court  upon  you,  but 
as  an  admonition.  Take  him  away,  jailer." 

"  I  expected  to  have  been  called  again  to  hear  sentence, 
but  when  I  was  gone  out  of  the  court,  the  clerk  of  the  peace 
(whose  name  was  Twitty)  asked  the  chairman,  as  I  was  in- 
formed, 'whether  that  which  he  had  spoken  to  me  should 
stand  for  sentence?'  And  he,  consulting  with  some  of  the 
justices,  told  him,  'Yes,  that  was  the  sentence,  and  should 
stand.'  This  was  done  behind  my  back,  to  save  himself  from 
shame  in  the  face  of  the  country.  Many  of  the  justices,  and 
the  generality  of  the  people,  were  moderate  and  civil ;  and 
John  Ashly,  a  lawyer,  was  friendly  to  me,  both  the  time  before 
and  now,  speaking  on  my  behalf,  and  pleading  the  errors  of 
the  indictment  for  me ;  but  Justice  Street,  the  judge  of  the 
court,  would  not  regard  them,  but  overruled  all." 


356  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

Being  now  returned  to  prison  under  sentence  of  premu- 
nire,  his  wife  came  from  Swarthmore  to  be  with  him,  and 
at  the  next  assizes,  she  and  Thomas  Lower  delivered  to  Judge 
Wilde  a  statement  of  his  case,  showing  the  proceedings 
throughout,  and  the  errors  of  the  indictment.  The  judge  told 
them  they  might,  if  they  thought  proper,  try  the  errors  in  the 
indictment,  but  he  gave  them  very  little  encouragement. 

While  confined  in  prison,  George  Fox  was  taken  with  severe 
illness,  which  brought  him  so  low  that  some  of  his  friends 
doubted  his  recovery ;  but  he  was  sweetly  comforted  and  sus- 
tained by  the  heartfelt  assurance  of  divine  love,  and  was  led 
to  believe  that  "  the  Lord  had  yet  more  work  for  him  to  do, 
before  he  took  him  to  himself."  On  account  of  his  illness, 
Justice  Parker  was  induced,  through  the  importunity  of  his 
friends,  to  grant  him  some  indulgence  ;  and  in  the  meantime, 
no  efforts  were  spared  by  William  Penn  and  other  Friends  in 
London,  to  obtain  his  enlargement.  A  free  pardon  was  offered, 
but  this  he  declined,  on  the  ground  that  its  acceptance  might 
be  construed  to  imply  an  acknowledgment  of  his  guilt,  say- 
ing, "  I  had  rather  lie  in  prison  all  my  days,  than  to  come 
out  in  any  way  dishonourable  to  Truth."  His  wife  repaired 
to  London,  and  laid  his  case  before  the  king,  who  spoke  kindly 
to  her,  and  referred  her  to  the  lord-keeper,  but  this  function- 
ary assured  her  that  "  the  king  could  not  release  him  otherwise 
than  by  a  pardon." 

During  the  progress  of  these  measures,  William  Penn  wrote 
two  letters  to  George  Fox,  showing  the  exertions  they  were 
making  for  his  release.*  "  The  king,"  he  says,  "  knows  not 
that  thou  refusest  a  pardon,  only  that  we  choose  rather  a 
more  clear  and  suitable  way  to  thy  innocency.  I  am,  and 
intend,  to  stay  in  town,  to  do  my  utmost.  The  Lord  knows  I 
would  come  in  thy  place  to  release  thee ;  but  the  Lord's  will 
be  done. 

"  Dear  George,  things  are  pretty  quiet,  and  meetings  very 
full,  and  precious  and  living,  blessed  be  the  Lord  God  forever !" 

*  See  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends  ;  Friends'  Lib.  XI.  385 ;  and 
Janney's  Life  of  Penn,  chap.  VII. 


HE   IS   DISCHARGED.  357 

A  writ  of  habeas  corpus  being  obtained,  George  Fox  was 
once  more  removed  from  Worcester,  and  brought  before  the 
court  of  the  king's  bench,  Sir  Matthew  Hale  presiding. 

The  trial  took  place  the  llth  of  12th  month,  1674,  [Feb- 
uary,  0.  S.  1675.]  Thomas  Corbett,  an  eminent  counsellor, 
being  employed  to  plead  for  him,  took  new  and  original 
ground.  He  told  the  judges,  that  "  They  could  not  imprison 
on  a  premunire."  Upon  which,  Chief  Justice  Hale  said,  "  Mr. 
Corbett,  you  should  have  come  sooner,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  term,  with  this  plea."  He  answered,  "  We  could  not  get  a 
copy  of  the  return  and  the  indictment."  The  judge  replied, 
"  You  should  have  told  us,  and  we  would  have  forced  them 
to  nrake  a  return  sooner."  Then  said  Judge  Wilde,  "Mr. 
Corbett,  you  go  upon  general  terms;  and  if  it  be  so,  as  you 
say,  we  have  committed  many  errors  at  the  Old  Bailey  and  in 
other  courts."  Corbett  was  positive,  that  by  law,  they  could 
not  imprison  upon  premunire.  The  judge  said,  "  There  is 
summons  in  the  statute."  "  Yes,"  said  Corbett,  "but  sum- 
mons is  not  imprisonment,  for  summons  is  in  order  to  a  trial." 
"  Well,"  said  the  judge,  "we  must  have  time  to  look  at  our 
books,  and  consult  the  statutes."  So  the  hearing  was  put  off 
till  the  next  day. 

On  the  ensuing  day  they  concluded  to  waive  this  plea,  and 
to  begin  with  the  errors  in  the  indictment,  which,  when  ex- 
amined, proved  to  be  so  many  and  so  gross,  that  the  judges 
were  all  of  opinion  it  should  be  quashed,  and  the  prisoner  set 
at  liberty.  Some  of  the  enemies  of  George  Fox  moved  the 
court,  that  the  oaths  should  again  be  tendered  to  him,  alleg- 
ing, "  That  he  was  a  dangerous  man  to  be  at  liberty."  But 
Judge  Hale  said,  "  He  had  indeed  heard  some  such  reports, 
but  he  had  also  heard  many  more  good  reports  of  him."  He 
was  then  freed  by  proclamation. 

Thus,  after  an  imprisonment  of  nearly  fourteen  months,  he 
was  set  at  liberty,  which  he  ascribed  to  Divine  goodness,  say- 
ing, "  The  Lord's  everlasting  power  went  over  all  to  his  glory 
and  praise." 


358  LIFE   OF   GEOtiGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Residence  of  George  Fox  at  Swarthmore — Epistle  to  Friends — Separa- 
tion of  "Wilkinson  and  Story — Charges  against  them — George  Fox  re- 
sumes his  travels — Letter  to  his  wife — Testimony  against  tithes — 
Yearly  meeting  of  London  —  Visit  to  William  Penn  —  Answer  to 
Roger  "Williams — Account  of  Robert  Barclay — Visit  to  Holland — 
Yearly  meeting  of  Amsterdam  —  Princess  Elizabeth  Palatine  — 
Letter  to  Friends  in  Dantzic — Return  to  England. 

1675-7. 

ON  being  liberated  from  his  fifth  and  last  imprisonment, 
George  Fox  remained  in  London  and  its  vicinity  until  after 
the  yearly  meeting  of  Friends,  which  took  place  in  the  early 
part  of  the  fourth  month,  1675.  He  then  proceeded  to 
Swarthmore-hall  in  Lancashire,  and  being  unable  to  ride  on 
horseback,  by  reason  of  his  late  sickness  and  long  confine- 
ment in  prison,  he  went  in  a  coach  with  his  wife  and  her 
daughter  Susan. 

Swarthmore-hall,  once  the  residence  of  Judge  Fell  and  after- 
wards of  George  and  Margaret  Fox,  was  a  large,  substantial 
mansion,  built  of  stone.  Its  situation  has  been  described  as 
somewhat  singular,  and  picturesque.*  Eastward  of  it,  to  the 
bay  of  Morecambe,  extended  a  rich  and  beautiful  champaign 
country,  a  large  part  of  which  was  included  in  the  Swarth- 
more estate.  Westward  lay  the  bleak  and  barren  tract  of 
Swarthmoor,  partially  screened  from  view,  by  an  ancient 
grove  of  forest  trees.  Northward  might  be  discerned  the 
town  of  Ulverstone,  and  beyond,  the  pointed  mountains  of 
Coniston,  and  the  Lake  district. 

At  this  beautiful  estate,  George  Fox  now  remained  a  year 
and  nine  months,  in  order  to  recruit  his  impaired  health,  and 
this  appears  to  have  been  the  first  season  of  repose  he  had 
allowed  himself  for  a  period  of  more  than  thirty  years.  But 

*  Armistead's  Select  Miscellanies,  II.  139. 


HIS   EPISTLES   TO   FRIENDS.  359 

while  enjoying  the  comforts  of  home  in  the  bosom  of  his 
family,  he  did  not  suffer  the  time  to  pass  unimproved ;  for,  in 
addition  to  the  regular  attendance  of  meetings,  and  frequent 
interviews  with  Friends  from  a  distance  who  sought  his  coun- 
sel, he  wrote  much  for  publication,  concerning  the  doctrines 
and  discipline  of  the  church.  From  his  general  epistle  read 
at  the  yearly  meeting  of  London,  the  17th  of  the  3d  month 
1676,  the  following  passage  is  selected : 

"  Now,  Friends,  you  that  have  been  ancient  labourers,  and 
have  known  the  dealings  of  the  Lord  these  twenty  years, 
(more  or  less)  as  I  have  often  said  to  you,  draw  up  what  you 
can  of  that  which  the  Lord  hath  carried  you  through  by  his 
power,  the  passages  and  sufferings,  and  how  by  the  Lord  ye 
have  been  supported  from  the  first ;  so  that  he  may  be  exalted 
by  his  power  now,  and  in  ages  to  come,  who  hath  been  the 
only  support,  defence,  and  stay  of  his  people  all  along,  over 
all  to  himself;  to  whom  be  all  glory  and  praise  forever  and 
ever,  amen.  He  deserves  it  in  his  church  throughout  all  ages, 
from  his  living  members,  who  return  the  praise  to  the  living 
God,  who  reigns  over  all,  blessed  forever."  ....  "  Therefore 
let  there  be  no  boasting,  but  in  the  Lord,  in  his ,  power  and 
kingdom  ;  that  keeps  all  in  humility."  .... 

Another  of  his  epistles,  addressed  to  Friends,  was  intended 
to  warn  them  against  a  "  spirit*  of  separation"  which  had  made 
its  appearance  in  some  members  of  the  Society,  who  were  en- 
deavouring to  lay  waste  the  order  of  the  discipline.  This 
contentious  spirit,  which  for  some  years  disturbed  the  meetings 
of  Friends,  originated  with  two  ministers  of  the  Society,  John 
Wilkinson  and  John  Story,  who  manifested  great  opposition 
to  meetings  for  discipline ;  the  institution  of  which,  they  said, 
was  following  the  prescriptions  of  men,  and  "setting  up 
another  government  than  that  of  the  spirit."  Against 
women's  meetings  for  discipline,  more  especially,  was  their 
rancour  exhibited ;  and  as  George  Fox  had  been  the  instru- 
ment through  whom  these  meetings  were  established,  they 


360  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

evinced  their  dislike  to  him  by  false  accusations.*  They  also 
discouraged  the  testimony  of  Friends  against  the  payment  of 
tithes,  and  were  opposed  to  recording  the  condemnations  or 
acknowledgments  of  those  who  had  been  guilty  of  immoral 
conduct.  Another  cause  of  dissatisfaction  is  worthy  of  note, 
as  throwing  some  light  upon  the  state  of  Friends'  meetings  at 
that  early  date.  Wilkinson  and  Story,  it  is  said,  "had  dis- 
orderly and  irreverently  judged  Friends'  tender  exercises  in 
breaking  forth  in  melodious  singings  and  soundings  to  God's 
praise,  in  their  meetings,  under  the  exercise  of  the  power 
which  breaks  and  fills  the  heart,  out  of  the  abundance 
whereof  break  forth  sighs,  groans,  and  spiritual  songs, 
as  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  exercise  them  that  wait  upon 
him."f 

An  instance  of  this  spontaneous  outburst  of  religious  feel- 
ing, is  mentioned  in  the  Journal  of  George  Fox.  It  occurred 
during  his  visit  to  Ireland,  and  has  been  referred  to  in  the 
XXth  chapter  of  this  work. 

In  order  to  reclaim  Wilkinson  and  Story,  with  their  adhe- 
rents, and  to  restore  the  unity  of  the  body,  great  efforts  were 
made,  and  long  forbearance  exercised,  by  George  Fox  and  his 
friends,  who  retained  the  confidence  and  love  of  the  great 
body  of  the  Society.  There  was,  however,  a  schism  effected, 
and  within  the  limits  of  Westmoreland  Quarterly  Meeting, 
separate  meetings  were  established,  composed  of  those  who 
were  not  willing  to  submit  to  the  restraints  of  discipline.  In 
order  to  compose  this  difference,  a  conference  was  appointed 
to  he  held  at  Drawell,  in  Sedburgh  parish,  Yorkshire,  in  the 
second  month,  1676,  which  continued  four  days,  and  was 
attended  by  some  of  the  most  eminent  ministers  of  the 
Society.  Wilkinson  and  Story,  with  many  of  their  adhe- 
rents, being  present,  were  so  wrought  upon  by  the  power  of 
divine  truth,  that  they  gave,  in  writing,  a  partial  acknowledg- 

*  Anti-Christian  Treachery  discovered,  and  its  way  blocked  up,  by 
Joseph  Blaykling  and  others.     London,  1686 :  pp.  30,  57,  121. 
t  Ibid,  p.  45,  88. 


WILKINSON  AND    STORY.  361 

merit  of  the  error  into  which  they  had  fallen,  through  weak- 
ness in  the  hour  of  temptation. 

The  Friends  in  attendance  from  other  parts  of  the  nation, 
among  whom  was  William  Penn,  drew  up  a  narrative  of  the 
proceedings,  in  which,  after  alluding  to  the  acknowledgment 
signed  by  Wilkinson  and  Story,  they  express  a  hope  that  more 
complete  satisfaction  will  be  given,  and  then,  in  conclusion, 
hand  forth  the  following  salutary  advice :  "  And  now,  Friends 
in  God's  love,  we  desire  you  to  suppress  all  papers  of  contro- 
versy relating  to  this  difference,  that  the  minds  of  Friends  be 
not  further  troubled,  nor  any  defiled,  nor  this  controversy 
kept  any  longer  alive ;  but  that  all  may  sink  down  into  the 
simple  truth,  and  in  that  feel  the  pure  and  sweet  union  which, 
being  lived  in,  preserves  out  of  those  doubts,  distrusts, 
jealousies,  carnal  reasonings,  and  evil  watchings,  that  harm 
the  immortal  soul ;  and  in  that  pure  fellowship  all  are  cheer- 
ful, tender,  and  open-hearted,  full  of  love  and  brotherly 
kindness,  watching  over  one  another  for  good,  in  which  the 
Lord  God  Almighty  establish  us  forever.  And  we  do  hereby 
warn  all,  to  have  a  care  that  they  be  not  lifted  up  by  reason 
of  the  temptation  and  hurt  that  is  come  upon  these  men ;  nor 
yet  insult  over  them  ;  for  that  spirit  is  not  of  God ;  but 
rather,  let  all  watch,  in  the  fear  and  dread  of  Almighty  God, 
against  that  spirit,  that  they  enter  not  into  temptation."* 

Soon  after  this  meeting,  Wilkinson  and  Story,  being  in  a 
better  state  of  feeling  towards  George  Fox,  sought  an  inter- 
view with  him  at  Swarthmore,  and  were  cordially  received. 
He  showed  them  the  danger  they  were  in,  if  they  did  not 
return  into  unity  with  the  body ;  and  he  desired  them  to  com- 
ply with  the  advice  of  Friends,  and  lay  down  their  separate 
meetings.  It  appeared,  however,  that  they  were  not  suffi- 
ciently humble  to  retrace  their  steps,  for  their  separate 
meetings  were  still  continued ;  and  at  the  Yearly  Meeting  of 

*  This  document  is  signed  by  23  Friends,  most  of  them  prominent 
members.  It  was  probably  drafted  by  William  Penn,  whose  signature 
is  the  last.  See  Anti-Christian  Treachery  discovered,  p.  58. 


362  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

London,  which  took  place  the  following  month,  Friends  being 
under  much  solicitude  on  their  account,  addressed  them  an 
affectionate  epistle,  in  which  they  thus  plead  with  them :  "  Oh ! 
strive  not  against  your  own  mercies,  neither  exclude  your- 
selves from  the  fellowship  of  your  brethren,  but  judge  down 
all  strife,  jealousies,  and  surmises  in  the  name  of  the  living 
God,  that  you  may  be  made  nigh,  and  be  instruments  to  bring 
those  nigh  that  are  also  with  you  at  a  manifest  distance  from 
us,  otherwise  the  jealous  God  will  stretch  forth  his  hand 
against  you,  and  you  and  this  separation  will  apparently 
wither  and  come  to  nought."* 

In  the  following  year  (1677,)  this  separation  again  claimed 
the  attention  of  Friends  in  London,  and  after  the  rising  of 
the  Yearly  Meeting,  an  epistle  signed  by  more  than  fifty 
members,  was  addressed  to  the  society  at  large,  advising  them 
to  give  no  countenance  to  the  schism,  but  "  to  watch  in  the 
power  of  God  against  this  spirit  that  would  make  them  twain 
that  God  hath  made  one,  and  separate  that  which  God  hath 
joined  together."f 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1677,  George  Fox,  being 
somewhat  recruited  in  health  and  strength,  left  Swarthmore, 
to  resume  his  travels  in  the  gospel  ministry.  His  wife  and 
her  daughter  Rachel  accompanied  him  some  days  on  this 
'  journey,  attending  with  much  satisfaction  the  meetings  of 
Friends  in  Westmoreland,  and  part  of  Yorkshire.  After  they 
had  left  him  to  return  home,  he  continued  his  journey,  accom- 
panied by  Leonard  Fell ;  and  they  passed  through  the  dales 
of  Yorkshire,  visiting  the  meetings  where  he  had  so  success- 
fully laboured  in  the  early  part  of  his  ministry. 

Leaving  York,  he  continued  his  journey  by  easy  stages, 
visiting  meetings  in  the  counties  of  Derby,  Nottingham,  Lei- 
cester, Warwick,  Buckingham,  Bedford,  and  Middlesex,  until 

*  Signed  by  George  Whitehead,  John  Burnyeat,  William  Gibson, 
Kobert  Lodge,  Alexander  Parker,  Thomas  Taylor,  John  Bowren,  John 
Tiffin,  William  Penn.  See  Anti-Christian  Treachery  discovered,  p.  61. 

t  Ibid,  p.  77. 


NOTICE   OF   ROBERT   BARCLAY.  363 

he  came  to  London,  where  he  was  gladly  received  by  Friends, 
and  they  were  greatly  refreshed  together  in  waiting  upon  God. 
Having  observed  in  some  places  a  "  slackness  in  keeping  up 
the  ancient  testimony  of  truth  against  tithes,"  he  wrote  an 
epistle  to  Friends,  exhorting  them  to  stand  their  ground 
"  against  that  anti-christian  yoke  of  oppression."  "  Christ's 
disciples,"  he  says,  "could  not  join  with  those  who  made  a 

trade  of  preaching." "  Therefore,  in  the  power  of 

the  Lord  maintain  the  war  against  the  beast,  and  do  not  put 
into  his  mouth,  lest  he  cry  peace  to  you ;  which  peace  you 
must  not  receive,  but  it  must  be  broken  and  thrown  out  by 
the  Spirit  of  God." 

While  in  London,  he  attended  the  Yearly  Meeting  of 
Friends ;  concerning  which  he  says :  "Very  glorious  meetings 
we  had,  wherein  the  Lord's  powerful  presence  was  very  largely 
felt,  and  the  affairs  of  truth  were  sweetly  carried  on  in  the 
unity  of  the  spirit,  to  the  satisfaction  and  comfort  of  the 
upright-hearted ;  blessed  be  the  Lord  forever  !" 

Soon  after  Yearly  Meeting,  he  went  with  William  Penn  to 
his  residence  at  Worminghurst,  forty  miles  from  London. 
Here  he  stayed  three  weeks,  and  having  also  the  company  of 
his  friend,  John  Burnyeat,  they  prepared  an  answer  to  a  book 
of  Roger  Williams,  of  New  England,  who,  it  appears,  had 
assailed  the  doctrines  of  Friends. 

Impelled  by  a  sense  of  religious  duty  to  "  visit  Friends  in 
Holland,  in  order  to  preach  the  gospel  there,  and  in  some 
parts  of  Germany,"  George  Fox  took  passage  in  the  packet- 
boat  at  Harwich,  the  25th  of  the  5th  month,  1677.  He  was 
accompanied  in  this  visit  by  several  Friends,  among  whom 
were  William  Penn  and  Robert  Barclay.  The  former  of  these 
eminent  men  is  already  well  known  to  the  public,  but  a  brief 
notice  of  the  latter  may  be  acceptable  to  some  readers. 

Robert  Barclay  was  born  at  Gordounstown,  in  Scotland,  the 
23d  of  the  10th  month,  1648.  He  was  the  son  of  Colonel 
David  Barclay,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  his  military 
career,  and  was  highly  honoured  in  civil  society.  On  being 


364  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

• 

convinced  of  Friends'  principles  in  the  year  1666,  he  was 
faithful  to  his  convictions  of  duty ;  and  renouncing  the  world, 
he  became  a  valiant  soldier  in  the  Lamb's  warfare.  His  son 
Robert  was  convinced  soon  after,  being  then  in  his  nineteenth 
year.  In  his  youth  he  evinced  a  promising  genius,  and  after 
passing  through  the  best  schools  in  his  native  country,  was 
sent  to  a  college  in  Paris  to  finish  his  education.  On  his 
return  to  Scotland,  he  attended  a  Friends'  meeting,  where 
"he  was  reached  in  the  time  of  silence"  by  the  power  of 
Divine  Truth,  and  yielded  obedience  to  the  heavenly  call. 
"When  I  came,"  he  says,  "into  the  silent  assemblies  of  God's 
people,  I  felt  a  secret  power  amongst  them  which  touched  my 
heart ;  and  as  I  gave  way  unto  it,  I  found  the  evil  weakening 
in  me,  and  the  good  raised  up ;  and  so  I  became  thus  knit  and 
united  unto  them,  hungering  more  and  more  after  the  increase 
of  this  power  and  life,  whereby  I  might  find  myself  perfectly 
redeemed."  It  was  not  long  before  he  was  called  to  the  public 
ministry,  in  which  he  was  highly  esteemed  for  his  work's  sake. 
George  Fox  speaks  of  him'  as  "  a  wise  and  faithful  minister 
of  Christ,  who  did  good  service  for  the  Lord,  turning  people 
from  darkness  to  light."  He  was  much  engaged  in  religious 
controversy,  for  which  he  was  eminently  qualified,  being  pos- 
sessed of  an  acute  and  vigorous  intellect,  a  good  command  of 
language,  and  a  profound  acquaintance  with  ecclesiastical 
literature. 

In  the  year  1674,  he  wrote  a  treatise  on  church  govern- 
ment, originally  entitled  "Anarchy  of  the  Ranters,"  in  which 
the  society  of  Friends  was  "  vindicated  from  those  that  accuse 
them  of  disorder  and  confusion  on  the  one  hand,  and  from 
such  as  calumniated  them  with  tyranny  and  imposition  on  the 
other ;  showing  that  the  true  and  pure  principles  of  the  gospel 
are  restored  by  their  testimony."  This  treatise  has  ever  been 
held  in  high  esteem  among  Friends,  and  has  passed  through 
many  editions.  But  his  most  celebrated  and  valuable  work  is 
his  "  Apology  for  the  true  Christian  Divinity ;  being  an  ex- 
planation and  vindication  of  the  Principles  and  Doctrines  of 


HE   VISITS   HOLLAND.  365 

the  people  called  Quakers."  Although  written  in  the  28th 
year  of  his  age,  it  is  a  master-piece  of  its  kind ;  being  replete 
with  cogent  arguments,  and  clear  illustrations  of  Christian 
doctrine. 

On  the  arrival  of  George  Fox  and  his  companions  in  Hol- 
land, they  had  large  and  satisfactory  meetings.  At  Rotterdam 
and  Harlem,  the  truths  of  the  gospel  were  freely  declared, 
and  well  received.  At  Amsterdam  they  attended  a  Quarterly 
Meeting,  in  which  Fox  and  Penn  were  led  "  to  open  many 
things  concerning  the  order  of  the  gospel,  and  to  show  the 
benefit  and  service  of  Yearly,  Quarterly,  and  Monthly 
Meetings  of  men  and  women."  It  was  then  agreed  that  a 
Yearly  Meeting  should  be  held  at  Amsterdam,  "for  Friends 
in  all  the  United  Provinces  of  Holland,  in  Embden,  the 
Palatinate,  Hamburg,  ,  Frederickstadt,  Dantzic,  and  other 
places  in  Germany." 

While  at  Amsterdam,  George  Fox,  being  under  a  religious 
exercise  of  mind  concerning  the  schism,  already  alluded  to, 
among  the  Friends  in  England,  wrote  them  a  letter  of  exhor- 
tation, advising  them  to  keep  in  the  peaceable  spirit  of  the 
Lamb,  which  will  wear  out  all  contention,  and  give  the 
victory  over  that  earthly  spirit  which  leads  to  separation  and 
strife. 

He  also  addressed  a  letter  to  Elizabeth,  the  Princess  Pala- 
tine, who  ruled  over  a  small  territory  in  Westphalia,  and  held 
her  court  at  Hertforden,  in  the  county  of  Ravensburg. 

This  princess  was  the  grand-daughter  of  James  the  First, 
of  England ;  and  was  no  less  distinguished  for  her  learning 
and  piety,  than  for  her  exalted  rank.*  She  had  been  visited 
by  William  Penn  some  years  before,  and  had  expressed  her 
concurrence  with  the  doctrines  of  Friends. 

The  letter  of  George  Fox  was  conveyed  to  the  princess  by 
his  step-daughter,  Isabel  Yeomens ;  and  was  kindly  received, 
as  appears  by  the  following  answer  : 

*  For  a  sketch  of  her  life,  see  Janney's  Life  of  Penn,  chap.  ix. 


366  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

"  DEAR  FRIEND  :  I  cannot  but  have  a  tender  love  to  those 
that  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  it  is  given,  not  only 
to  believe  in  him,  but  to  suffer  for  him ;  therefore  your  letter 
and  your  friend's  visit,  have  been  both  very  welcome  to  me. 
I  shall  follow  their  and  your  counsel,  as  far  as  God  will  afford 
me  light  and  unction :  remaining  still 

Your  loving  friend 

ELIZABETH." 
Hertfort,  the  30th  of  August,  1677. 

At  Amsterdam,  the  Friends  who  came  over  with  George 
Fox  left  him  for  a  time,  in  order  to  pursue  the  objects  of  their 
mission.  William  Penn,  Robert  Barclay  and  Benjamin  Fur- 
ley,  proceeded  to  Germany,  where  they  travelled  many  hun- 
dred miles  in  the  service  of  the  gospel.  George  Fox,  taking 
with  him  John  Claus  of  Amsterdam  for  interpreter,  visited 
many  towns  and  cities  in  Holland,  Friesland,  Groningen, 
Hanover,  and  Holstein,  in  most  of  which  he  found  some  open- 
ness for  religious  service,  both  in  public  meetings  appointed 
for  worship,  and  in  conversation  with  persons  who  appeared 
to  be  inquiring  after  the  truth. 

At  Hamburg,  he  had  "  a  glorious  meeting,  in  which  the 
Lord's  power  was  exalted  over  all." 

At  Frederickstadt,  he  found  a  considerable  company  of 
Friends,  among  whom  he  had  a  fine  refreshing  meeting, 
which  caused  him  to  forget  the  weariness  occasioned  by  his 
journey  thither. 

This  city  being  in  the  dominions  of  the  Duke  of  Holstein, 
he  would  have  banished  Friends  from  it,  but  the  magistrates 
declined  to  comply  with  his  orders,  saying,  "  They  would  lay 
down  their  offices  rather  than  do  it,  inasmuch  as  themselves 
came  to  that  city,  to  enjoy  the  liberty  of  their  consciences." 

Before  the  departure  of  George  Fox  from  this  place,  he 
had  another  meeting  with  the  Friends  alone,  to  whom  he  ex- 
plained the  benefits  resulting  from  meetings  for  discipline, 
which  being  in  accordance  with  their  own  religious  convictions, 
"they  readily  agreed  to  have  monthly  meetings  thencefor- 


HE   TRAVELS   IN   GERMANY.  367 

ward  amongst  themselves,  that  both  men  and  women  might 
take  care  of  the  outward  concerns  of  the  church." 

On  his  way  back  to  Hamburg,  he  inquired  at  an  inn  where 
they  lodged,  "  Whether  there  were  any  tender  people  in  the 
town  that  feared  God,  or  that  had  a  mind  to  discourse  of  the 
things  of  God?"  But  the  inn-keeper  replied,  "There  were 
few  such  in  that  town." 

This  custom  of  inquiring  for  serious  or  religiously  inclined, 
people  seems  to  have  been  very  generally  observed  by  him 
during  his  journey,  and  is  in  accordance  with  the  command 
of  Christ  to  his  disciples,  "  Into  whatsoever  city  or  town  ye 
shall  enter,  inquire  who  in  it  is  worthy ;  and  there  abide  till 
ye  go  thence." 

At  Hamburg,  he  had  another  good  and  satisfactory  meet- 
ing, after  which  he  had  some  discourse  with  a  Swede,  resi- 
dent there,  who  was  a  man  of  considerable  eminence,  and  had 
been  banished  from  his  own  country  on  account  of  his  religion. 
Continuing  his  travels,  he  passed  through  Bremen  and  came 
to  Oldenburg,  which  had  recently  been  destroyed  by  fire.  He 
writes  in  his  Journal,  "  It  was  a  lamentable  sight  to  see  so 
brave  a  city  burnt  down.  We  went  to  an  inn,  and,  though  it 
was  First-day,  the  soldiers  were  drinking  and  playing  at 
shovel-board ;  and  at  those  few  houses  that  were  left,  shops 
were  open,  and  the  people  trading  one  with  another.  I  was 
moved  to  declare  the  truth  among  them,  and  warn  them  of 
the  judgments  of  God ;  and  though  they  heard  me  quietly, 
and  were  civil  towards  me,  yet  I  was  burthened  with  their 
wickedness.  Many  times  in  mornings,  and  at  noons  and 
nights,  at  the  inns,  and  on  the  ways,  as  I  travelled,  I  spoke 
to  the  people,  preaching  the  truth  to  them,  warning  them  of 
the  day  of  the  Lord,  and  exhorting  them  to  turn  to  the  light 
and  spirit  of  God  in  themselves,  that  thereby  they  might  be 
led  out  of  evil." 

At  Embden,  he  had  a  satisfactory  meeting.  In  this  city, 
Friends  had  suffered  much  from  persecution,  many  of  them 
having  been  frequently  banished,  and  on  their  return,  impris- 


368  LIFE   OF   GEOKGE   FOX. 

oned  and  despoiled  of  their  goods.  At  Harlingen,  he  met 
with  William  Perm,  who  had  just  returned  from  his  travels  in 
Germany.  In  this  place  a  number  of  Friends  resided,  and  at 
the  recommendation  of  George  Fox,  a  Monthly  Meeting  was 
established.  "In  the  afternoon,"  he  writes  in  his  Journal, 
"  we  had  a  public  meeting,  to  which  came  people  of  several 
sorts,  Socinians,  Baptists,  Lutherans,  &c.,  amongst  whom  were 
a  doctor  of  physic  and  a  priest.  After  I  had  declared  the 
truth  pretty  largely,  opening  the  happy  state  that  man  and 
woman  were  in  whilst  they  kept  under  God's  teaching,  and 
abode  in  paradise,  and  the  woe  and  misery  that  came  upon 
them  when  they  went  from  God's  teaching,  hearkened  to  the 
serpent's,  transgressed  God's  command,  and  were  driven  out 
of  the  paradise  of  God ;  and  set  forth  the  way  whereby  man 
and  woman  might  come  into  that  happy  state  again :  the 
priest,  an  ancient,  grave  man,  stood  up  just  as  I  had  done 
speaking,  and,  putting  off  his  hat,  said,  l  I  pray  God  to  prosper 
and  confirm  that  doctrine,  for  it  is  truth,  and  I  have  nothing 
against  it.' ' 

After  this  meeting,  William  Penn  set  out  to  visit  some  other 
parts  of  Germany,  and  George  Fox  proceeded  to  Amsterdam, 
where  he  attended  several  meetings,  which  were  large,  and 
eminently  favoured  with  divine  life  and  power.  While  in  this 
city,  he  wrote  an  epistle  to  the  Friends  at  Dantzick,  who  were 
suffering  under  grievous  persecution.  In  this  letter  he  says, 
"  I  am  glad  the  Lord  hath  witnesses  in  that  city,  to  stand  for 
his  glory  and  name,  and  for  Christ  Jesus,  the  great  prophet 
whom  God  hath  raised  up,  who  is  to  be  heard  in  all  things ; 
so  ye  need  none  of  the  prophets  which  men  have  raised  up." 
.  .  .  .  "  I  do  believe  that  your  imprisonments  and  sufferings 
in  that  place  will  be  for  good  in  the  end,  (as  it  hath  been  in 
other  places,)  ye  standing  faithful  to  the  Lord,  who  is  all- 
sufficient.  For  your  sufferings  and  trials  will  try  their  teach- 
ers and  religions,  churches  and  worship,  and  make  manifest 
what  birth  they  are  of;  even  that  which  persecutes  him  that 
is  born  of  the  spirit ;  for  ye  know  that  there  is  no  salvation 


HE  RETURNS  TO  ENGLAND.  369 

by  any  other  name  under  the  whole  heaven,  but  by  the  name 
of  Jesus ;  therefore  it  is  time  to  leave  them  when  there  is  no 

salvation  by  or  in  any  of  them." "  So  let  all  your 

minds  be  bended  with  the  Lord's  power,  to  spread  his  truth 
abroad ;  and  where  ye  hear  of  any,  or  have  any  correspon- 
dence in  trading  with  any  sober  people,  far  or  near,  send  them 
books,  that  their  understandings  may  be  opened  after  the  Lord. 
The  Lord  God  Almighty  preserve  you !"  .  .  .  . 

During  his  stay  in  Amsterdam,  a  public  fast  was  proclaimed, 
which  occurring  on  the  same  day  of  the  week  that  Friends 
usually  met  for  public  worship,  a  great  concourse  attended 
their  meeting,  to  whom  he  opened  the  nature  of  the  true  fast, 
showing  "that  it  is  to  fast  from  sin  and  iniquity,  from  strife 
and  debate,  from  violence  and  oppression,  and  to  abstain  from 
every  appearance  of  evil."  He  employed  much  of  his  time, 
while  in  this  city,  in  writing  tracts  and  epistles  concerning  the 
principles  of  Friends. 

At  length,  William  Penn  having  returned  from  Germany, 
they  set  out  together,  and  passing  through  Leyden,  came  to 
the  Hague,  where  the  Prince  of  Orange  kept  his  court. 
Here  they  visited  one  of  the  judges,  with  whom  they  had 
much  discourse  on  religious  subjects,  which  appeared  to  be 
mutually  satisfactory.  They  next  came  to  Rotterdam,  where 
they  had  several  meetings,  and  then,  believing  their  service 
in  Holland  was  accomplished,  they  proceeded  to  the  Briel, 
and  took  passage  for  England. 

They  had  a  long  and  hazardous  voyage ;  the  weather  being 
tempestuous,  and  the  vessel  so  leaky  that  two  pumps  were 
kept  at  work  day  and  night.  George  Fox  observes,  in  his 
Journal,  that  "The  Lord  who  is  able  to  make  the  stormy 
winds  to  cease,  and  the  raging  waves  of  the  sea  to  be  calm, 
yea,  to  raise  them  and  stop  them  at  his  pleasure,  he  alone  did 
preserve  us ;  praised  be  his  name  forever  !  Though  our  pas- 
sage was  hard,  yet  we  had  a  fine  time,  and  good  service  for 
truth  on  board,  among  the  passengers,  some  of  whom  were 
great  folks,  and  were  very  kind  and  loving.  We  arrived  at 
24 


370  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

Harwich  the  23d  of  the  8th  month,  at  night,  having  been  two 
nights  and  almost  three  days  at  sea." 

After  attending  a  meeting  at  Harwich,  he  proceeded  to 
Colchester,  travelling  in  a  Friend's  wagon,  well  bedded  with 
straw.  In  Colchester  he  stayed  over  First-day ;  and  Friends 
flocking  in  from  the  country  around,  they  had  a  meeting  of 
about  a  thousand  persons.  Proceeding  on  his  way,  and 
holding  meetings,  he  came  to  London,  where  he  attended 
Grace-church  street  meeting,  in  which  the  Lord's  refreshing 
presence  was  felt,  and  they  rejoiced  together,  ascribing  praises 
to  him  who  alone  is  worthy. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

George  Fox  meets  the  adherents  of  Wilkinson  and  Story  — Visits  Isaac 
Penington  —  Death  of  Isaac  Penington  —  Yearly  Meeting,  1678  — 
Letter  of  George  Fox  to  his  wife — Letter  to  Friends  against  schism — 
Return  to  Swarthmore — Epistle  to  Friends — Yearly  meeting,  1G80 — 
Visit  to  Friends'  schools  —  Sufferings  and  constancy  of  Friends  — 
George  Fox  prosecuted  for  tithes  at  Swarthmore — Advice  on  choosing 
sheriffs  —  Disturbance  at  Grace-church  street  meeting — At  Devon- 
shire house,  &c. — Yearly  Meetings,  1683  '4 — Redemption  of  Algerine 
captives — Visit  to  Holland. 

1677-84. 

AFTER  the  return  of  George  Fox  from  his  first  religious 
visit  to  Holland,  he  remained  some  weeks  in  London,  attend- 
ing meetings,  and  assisting  Friends  to  obtain  relief  for  their 
suffering  brethren. 

He  then  proceeded  to  Buckinghamshire,  and  visited  the 
meetings  of  Friends,  at  some  of  which  those  who  favoured 
the  views  of  Wilkinson  and  Story  were  exceedingly  trouble- 
some. He  admonished  them  to  be  quiet,  and  not  to  disturb 
the  meeting,  offering  to  hold  a  meeting  for  them  on  another 
day,  in  order  to  hear  their  objections.  This  proposition  being 


FRIENDS'  MEETINGS  AT  BRISTOL.  371 

agreed  to,  a  conference  was  appointed  to  be  held  at  Thomas 
Ellwood's,  the  following  week.  It  was  held  accordingly,  when 
so  large  a  company  attended,  that  the  house  would  not  contain 
them,  and  they  occupied  the  barn  as  their  place  of  meeting. 
After  an  interval  of  silence,  the  disaffected  members  com- 
menced their  attack,  most  of  their  arrows  being  aimed  at 
George  Fox,  but  he  was  enabled  to  answer  their  objections, 
and  to  refute  their  slanders.  It  proved  to  be  a  serviceable 
meeting,  in  which  that  disorganizing  spirit  was  rebuked ;  the  • 
weak  were  strengthened,  the  wavering  confirmed,  and  the 
minds  of  faithful  Friends  refreshed  with  a,  renewed  evidence 
of  heavenly  love. 

At  Bristol  he  had  many  precious  meetings  at  the  time  of 
the  fair.  Concerning  these  meetings,  he  writes  in  his  Jour- 
nal, "  Great  was  the  love  and  unity  of  Friends  that  abode 
faithful  in  the  truth,  though  some  who  were  gone  out  of  the 
holy  unity,  and  were  run  into  strife,  division,  and  enmity, 
were  rude  and  abusive,  and  behaved  themselves  in  a  very  un- 
christian manner  towards  me.  But  the  Lord's  power  was  over 
all ;  by  which,  being  preserved  in  the  heavenly  patience  which 
can  bear  injuries  for  his  name's  sake,  I  felt  dominion  therein 
over  the  rough,  rude,  and  unruly  spirits ;  and  left  them  to  the 
Lord,  who  knew  my  innocency,  and  would  plead  my  cause. 
The  more  these  laboured  to  reproach  and  vilify  me,  the  more 
did  the  love  of  Friends,  that  were  sincere  and  upright-hearted, 
abound  towards  me ;  and  some  that  had  been  betrayed  by  the 
adversaries,  seeing  their  envy  and  rude  behaviour,  broke  off 
from  them ;  who  have  cause  to  bless  the  Lord  for  their  de- 
liverance." 

He  continued  travelling  in  the  service  of  the  gospel,  and 
passing  through  the  counties  of  Gloucester  and  Worcester,  he 
went  to  Ragley,  in  Warwickshire,  to  visit  the  Countess  of 
Conway,  who,  he  understood,  was  desirous  to  see  him.  He 
found  her  in  a  tender,  pious  frame  of  mind,  and  willing  to 
detain  him  longer  than  he  felt  freedom  to  stay.  Passing 
through  Buckinghamshire,  in  the  spring  of  1678,  he  spent  a 


372  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

few  days  at  Woodside,  the  residence  of  his  friend  Isaac  Pen- 
ington.  This  excellent  man  had  been  a  great  sufferer  for 
conscience'  sake,  having  been  six  times  imprisoned,  during 
which  his  health  was  impaired  by  long  confinement  in  the 
damp,  unwholesome  cells  of  Aylesbury  jail.  He  died  the 
following  year,  at  his  wife's  estate,  in  Kent,  in  the  63d  year 
of  his  age. 

From  Buckinghamshire,  George  Fox  proceeded  to  London, 
where  he  attended  Yearly  Meeting,  and  soon  after  its  close, 
wrote  the  following  letter  to  his  wife  : 

"  DEAR  HEART  :  To  whom  is  my  love  in  the  everlasting 
seed  of  life,  that  reigns  over  all.  Great  meetings  here  have 
been,  and  the  Lord's  power  hath  been  stirring  through  all, 
the  like  hath  not  been.  The  Lord  hath  in  his  power  knit 
Friends  wonderfully  together,  and  his  glorious  presence  did 
appear  among  Friends.  And  now  the  meetings  are  over 
(blessed  be  the  Lord)  in  quietness  and  peace. 

"  From  Holland  I  hear  that  things  are  well  there.  Some 
Friends  are  gone  that  way,  to  be  at  the  yearly  meeting  at 
Amsterdam.  At  Embden,  Friends  that  were  banished  are 
got  into  the  city  again.  At  Dantzick,  Friends  are  in  prison, 
and  the  magistrates  threatened  them  with  harder  imprison- 
ments; but  the  next  day  the  Lutherans  rose  and  plucked 
down  or  defaced  the  Popish  monastery,  so  they  have  work 
enough  themselves.  The  king  of  Poland  did  receive  my 
letter,  and  -read  it  himself ;  and  Friends  have  since  printed  it 
in  High  Dutch. 

"  By  letters  from  the  half-yearly  meeting  in  Ireland,  I  hear 
they  are  all  in  love  there.  At  Barbadoes  Friends  are  in 
quietness,  and  their  meetings  settled  in  peace. 

"  At  Antigua  also,  and  Nevis,  truth  prospers,  and  Friends 
have  their  meetings  orderly  and  well.  Likewise  in  New  Eng- 
land, and  other  places,  things  concerning  truth  and  Friends 
are  well ;  and  in  those  places  the  men's  and  women's  meetings 
are  settled ;  blessed  be  the  Lord !  So  keep  in  God's  power 
and  seed,  that  is  over  all,  in  whom  ye  all  have  life  and  salva- 


HIS   ARGUMENT   FOR   DISCIPLINE.  373 

tion ;  for  the  Lord  reigns  over  all,  in  his  glory,  and  in  his 
kingdom ;  glory  to  his  name  forever,  Amen !  So  in  haste, 
with  my  love  to  you  all,  and  to  all  Friends. 

GEORGE  Fox. 

"  London,  26th  of  3d  month,  1678." 

The  sufferings  of  Friends  at  this  time  were  very  great, 
there  being  large  numbers  imprisoned  for  attending  their 
meetings,  and  refusing  to  swear. 

He  stayed  some  weeks  in  London,  endeavouring,  but  without 
success,  to  obtain  from  Parliament  an  act  for  their  relief. 
But  that  which  most  grieved  him  was  the  conduct  of  some  in 
that  city,  as  well  as  in  the  northern  counties,  who,  professing 
the  principles  of  Friends,  "  had  gone  from  the  simplicity  of 
the  gospel  into  fleshly  liberty,"  and  had  openly  opposed  the 
order  and  discipline  of  the  church.  Desiring  a  broader  path 
to  walk  in,  they  declaimed  against  the  rules  of  discipline  as 
the  prescriptions  of  men,  and  some  inexperienced  members 
were  in  danger  of  being  led  away  by  their  plausible  reasonings. 

In  order  to  inform  and  strengthen  these,  George  Fox  wrote 
an  address  to  Friends,  from  which  the  following  passages  are 
selected : 

"All  that  deny  prescriptions  without  distinction,  may  as 
well  deny  all  the  scriptures,  which  were  given  forth  by  the 
power  and  spirit  of  God.  For  do  they  not  prescribe  how  men 
should  walk  towards  God  and  man,  both  in  the  old  testament 
and  in  the  new  ?  Yea,  from  the  very  first  promise  of  Christ 
in  Genesis,  what  people  ought  to  believe  and  trust  in;  and 
all  along,  till  ye  come  to  the  prophets  ? 

"  Did  not  the  Lord  prescribe  to  his  people  by  the  fathers, 
and  then  by  his  prophets  ?  Did  he  not  prescribe  to  the  peo- 
ple how  they  should  walk,  though  they  turned  against  the 
prophets  in  the  old  covenant  for  declaring  or  prescribing  to 
them  the  way  how  they  might  walk  to  please  God,  and  keep 
in  favour  with  him  ?  In  the  days  of  Christ,  did  he  not  pre- 
scribe and  teach  how  people  should  walk  and  believe  ?  and 
after  him,  did  not  the  apostles  prescribe  unto  people  how  they 


374  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

might  come  to  believe,  and  receive  the  gospel  and  the  king- 
dom of  God,  directing  unto  that  which  would  give  them  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  how  they  should  walk  in  the  new 
covenant  in  the  days  of  the  gospel,  and  by  what  way  they 
should  come  to  the  holy  city  ?  And  did  not  the  apostles  send 
forth  their  decrees  by  faithful  chosen  men  (that  had  hazarded 
their  lives  for  Christ's  sake)  to  the  churches,  by  which  they 
were  established?  So  you,  that  deny  prescriptions  given 
forth  by  the  power  and  spirit  of  God,  do  thereby  oppose  the 
spirit  that  gave  them  forth  in  all  the  holy  men  of  God.  Were 
there  not  some  all  along  in  the  days  of  Moses,  in  the  days  of 
the  prophets,  in  the  days  of  Christ,  and  in  the  days  of  his 
apostles,  who  did  withstand  that  which  they  gave  forth  from 
the  spirit  of  God  ?  And  hath  there  not  been  the  like  since 

the  days  of  the  apostles  ?" "  See  what  liberty  they 

pleaded  for  and  ran  into  in  the  apostles'  days,  who  could  not 
abide  the  cross,  the  yoke  of  Jesus.  We  see  the  same  rough 
and  high  spirit  cries  now  for  liberty  (which  the  power  and 
spirit  of  Christ  cannot  give)  and  cries,  'imposition,'  yet  is 
imposing;  cries,  'liberty  of  conscience,'  and  yet  is  opposing 
liberty  of  conscience ;  cries  against  prescriptions,  and  yet  is 
prescribing  both  in  words  and  writing.  So  with  the  everlast- 
ing power  and  spirit  of  God  this  spirit  is  fathomed,  its  rise, 
beginning,  and  end ;  and  it  is  judged." 

The  schism  which  had  taken  place  among  Friends  in  the 
north  of  England,  and  had  spread  to  some  other  places, 
appears  to  have  affected  but  a  small  portion  of  the  Society, 
and  the  separate  meetings  to  which  it  gave  rise  did  not  long 
continue.  "They  wasted  away,"  says  the  historian  Sewel, 
"like  snow  in  the  fields,  for  the  best  among  them  came  in 
time  to  see  that  they  had  been  deceived,  and  the  less  honest 
grew  worse,  for  among  themselves  they  were  not  free  from 
divisions." 

Leaving  London,  George  Fox  travelled  through  several 
counties,  holding  many  precious  meetings  on  his  way,  and 
reached  Swarthmore  in  the  7th  month,  1678.  It  being  their 


HIS   EPISTLE   TO   THE  YEAKLY  MEETING.  375 

usual  meeting  day  when  he  arrived,  he  "  had  a  sweet  oppor- 
tunity with  Friends,  their  hearts  being  opened  in  the  love  of 
God,  and  his  blessed  life  flowing  amongst  them."  Here  he 
remained  with  his  wife  and  family  about  eighteen  months, 
during  which  time  he  was  much  occupied  in  writing  tracts  and 
letters  on  religious  subjects ;  for  whether  at  home  or  abroad, 
his  mind  was  constantly  engaged  in  endeavours  to  promote 
the  great  cause  of  righteousness  and  truth. 

Among  his  epistles  written  at  this  time,  one  was  addressed 
to  Friends  in  general,  exhorting  them  to  hold  their  meetings 
in  the  power  of  God,  and  to  preserve  the  unity  of  the  spirit, 
which  is  the  bond  of  peace.  Another  was  to  those  who  were 
in  prison  for  conscience'  sake,  to  whom  he  held  forth  the  lan- 
guage of  sympathy  and  encouragement ;  and  a  third  was  to 
the  Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends,  held  in  London  in  1679,  from 
which  the  following  passages  are  selected : 

...  "  And  now,  my  dear  friends,  the  Lord  doth  require 
more  of  you  than  he  doth  of  other  people,  because  he  hath 
committed  more  to  you.  He  requires  the  fruits  of  his  spirit, 
of  the  light,  of  the  gospel,  of  the  grace,  and  of  the  truth; 
for  herein  is  he  glorified  (as  Christ  said)  in  your  bringing 
forth  much  fruit, — fruits  of  righteousness,  holiness,  godliness, 
virtue,  truth,  and  purity ;  so  that  ye  may  answer  that  which 
is  of  God  in  all  people.  Be  valiant  for  his  everlasting,  glo- 
rious gospel,  in  God's  holy  spirit  and  truth,  keeping  in  the 
unity  and  in  the  holy  spirit,  light,  and  life,  which  is  over  death 
and  darkness,  and  was  before  death  and  darkness  were.  In 
this  spirit  we  have  the  bond  of  peace,  which  cannot  be  broken 
except  ye  go  from  the  spirit,  and  then  ye  lose  this  unity  and 
bond  of  peace,  which  ye  have  from  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

"The  world  also  expects  more  from  Friends  than  from 
other  people,  because  you  profess  more.  Therefore,  you  should 
be  more  just  than  others  in  your  words  and  dealings, — more 
righteous,  holy,  and  pure  in  your  lives  and  conversation,  so 
that  your  lives  and  conversations  may  preach.  For  the 
world's  tongues  and  mouths  have  preached  long  enough ;  but 


376  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

their  lives  and  conversations  have  denied  what  their  tongues 
have  professed  and  declared. 

"  And,  dear  Friends,  strive  to  excel  one  another  in  virtue, 
that  ye  may  grow  in  love,  that  excellent  way  which  unites  all 
to  Christ  and  God.  Stand  up  for  God's  glory,  and  mind  that 
which  concerns  the  Lord's  honour,  that  in  no  wise  his  power 
may  be  abused,  nor  his  name  evil  spoken  of  by  any  evil  talkers 
or  walkers ;  but  that  in  all  things  God  may  be  honoured,  and 
ye  may  glorify  him  in  your  bodies,  souls,  and  spirits,  the  little 
time  ye  have  to  live. 

"  My  love  to  you  all  in  the  holy  seed  of  life,  that  reigns 
over  all,  and  is  the  first  and  last  in  whom  ye  all  have  life  and 
salvation,  and  your  election  and  peace  with  God  through 
Jesus  Christ,  who  destroys  him  that  hath  been  betwixt  you 
and  God ;  so  that  nothing  may  be  betwixt  you  and  the  Lord 


but  Christ  Jesus.     Amen. 


GEORGE  Fox." 


In  the  spring  of  1680,  he  left  Swarthmore  for  the  last  time, 
and  travelling  by  easy  stages,  he  visited  meetings  on  his  way 
until  he  came  to  London,  just  before  the  assembling  of  the 
Yearly  Meeting. 

Concerning  this  annual  solemnity  he  says,  "  Many  Friends 
came  out  of  most  parts  of  the  nation,  and  a  blessed  oppor- 
tunity the  Lord  gave  us  together,  wherein  the  ancient  love 
was  sweetly  felt,  and  the  heavenly  life  flowed  abundantly 
over  all." 

After  a  stay  of  some  weeks  in  the  city,  he  was  led  by  a 
sense  of  religious  duty  to  attend  various  meetings  in  the  coun- 
try, and  he  then  visited  two  schools  for  Friends'  children, 
which  he  had  been  instrumental  in  promoting.  One  of  these 
was  at  Shackelwel  for  the  education  of  girls,  and  the  other, 
for  boys,  was  kept  by  Christopher  Taylor  at  Edmonton. 

During  the  following  winter  he  remained  at  London,  where 
he  found  much  to  claim  his  attention  relating  to  the  affairs  of 
the  church. 


FRIENDS'  PATIENCE  UNDER  SUFFERINGS.  377 

It  was  a  time  of  severe  persecution  under  the  conventicle 
act ;  the  meetings  of  Friends  were  frequently  broken  up  by 
constables  and  soldiers  led  by  greedy  informers,  who  sought 
the  rewards  which  the  law  offered  to  their  cupidity. 

These  violent  proceedings  were  instigated  by  the  clergy  of 
the  established  church,  who  were  determined  to  vanquish  the 
dissenters ;  and  had  indeed  succeeded  in  driving  them  all 
from  the  regular  attendance  of  their  meetings,  except  the 
Friends,  who  still  persevered  in  openly  assembling  for  the 
worship  of  God.  Although  thousands  had  been  imprisoned, 
those  who  remained  at  liberty  still  attended  their  meetings. 
When  their  houses  of  worship  were  closed  against  them,  they 
met  in  the  street  adjacent ;  when  torn  down,  they  met  near 
the  ruins ;  when  the  men  and  women  were  in  prison,  even  the 
children  kept  up  their  meetings. 

Such  heroic  courage,  combined  with  Christian  meekness,  has 
seldom  been  witnessed  in  any  age  or  country,  and  the  effect 
was  to  spread  their  principles  more  rapidly  than  any  other 
means  that  could  have  been  devised. 

George  Fox  was  earnest  and  diligent  in  his  endeavours  to 
mitigate  the  sufferings  of  Friends;  by  visiting  them  in  prison, 
attending  to  the  wants  of  their  families,  writing  letters  of  en- 
couragement to  those  confined  in  distant  places,  and  pleading 
their  cause  with  men  in  authority.  Nor  '  did  he  shrink  from 
the  exposure  of  himself;  but  was  always  foremost  at  the  post 
of  clanger,  attending  the  meetings  where  most  disturbance 
was  expected ;  and  yet  while  in  London,  during  the  hottest 
season  of  persecution,  he  was  not  imprisoned,  which  he  attri- 
buted to  the  protecting  arm  of  Divine  goodness. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1681,  he  was  prosecuted  in 
London,  for  the  small  tithes  on  his  wife's  estate  at  Swarth- 
more. 

The  suit  was  commenced  at  Lancaster,  but  they  demurred 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court,  and  it  was  removed  to  the 
Exchequer  court  at  Westminster,  where  an  order  was  obtained 
to  take  him  and  his  wife  into  custody.  This  was  a  little 


378  LIFE    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

before  the  Yearly  Meeting,  at  which  time  it  was  thought  they 
would  take  him,  but  he  was  permitted  to  attend  without 
molestation. 

When  the  meeting  was  ended,  understanding  that  a  writ 
had  been  issued  against  him,  he  took  with  him  his  son-in-law 
William  Mead,  and  called  on  several  of  the  judges,  to  whom 
he  represented,  "  That  his  wife  had  lived  three  and  forty  years 
at  Swarthmore,  and  in  all  that  time  there  had  been  no  tithe 
paid  or  demanded ;  and,  moreover,  an  old  man,  who  had  long 
been  a  tithe -gatherer,  had  made  affidavit  that  he  never  gath- 
ered tithe  at  Swarthmore-hall  in  Judge  Fell's  time  nor  since." 
Then  he  stated  the  case  of  "  eight  poor  men  brought  up  to 
London  out  of  the  north,  about  200  miles,  for  small  tithes  ; 
one  of  them  had  no  family  but  his  wife,  and  kept  no  living 
creature  but  a  cat." 

He  asked  one  of  the  judges,  "  Whether  they  could  take  a 
man  and  his  wife  and  imprison  them  both  for  small  tithes, 
and  so  destroy  a  family?"  He  answered  that  "It  was  a  hard 
case."  A  few  days  after,  those  eight  poor  friends  appeared 
before  the  court,  but  they  were  not  committed  to  prison. 

The  case  of  George  Fox  and  his  wife  was  postponed  till 
the  next  term,  when  it  was  brought  before  the  court,  and 
William  Mead  told  the  judges  "  that  George  Fox  had,  before 
marriage,  engaged  himself  not  to  meddle  with  his  wife's 
estate,"  which  they  could  scarcely  believe  until  the  writings 
were  shown  them.  Upon  this,  two  of  the  judges  and  some 
of  the  lawyers  pleaded,  that  he  was  not  liable  for  the  tithes, 
but  the  other  two  judges  were  urgent  "  to  have  him  seques- 
tered, alleging  that  he  was  a  public  man." 

Accordingly,  a  sequestration  against  him  and  his  wife  was 
ordered,  but  their  counsel  moved  for  a  "limitation,"  that  the 
plaintiff  should  take  no  more  than  was  proved,  which  being 
granted,  in  a  great  measure  defeated  their  adversary's 
design. 

In  the  year  1682,  George  Fox,  being  in  London  just  before 
the  time  of  an  election  for  sheriffs,  wrote  a  few  lines,  addressed 


FRIENDS'  MEETINGS  DISTURBED.  379 

to  the  candidates  who  had  solicited  the  suffrages  of  Friends. 
He  queries  with  them,  whether  they  are  "  against  persecuting 
people  for  their  religion,  and  for  the  worship  of  God  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,"  and  he  adds,  "Will  you  not  force  us  to  swear? 
will  you  not  force  us  to  give  tithes  and  maintenance  to  such 
teachers  as  we  know  God  hath  not  sent  ?  Shall  we  be  free 
to  serve  and  worship  God,  and  keep  his  and  his  Son's  com- 
mands, if  we  give  our  voices  freely  for  you  ?  For  we  are  un- 
willing to  give  our  voices  for  such  as  will  imprison  and  persecute 
us,  and  spoil  our  goods." 

Having  observed  that  there  was  much  excitement  among 
the  people  on  account  of  the  election,  he  wrote  as  follows : 

"  To  the  people  who  are  choosing  sheriffs  in  London  : 
"  PEOPLE  :  —  All  keep  in  the  gentle  and  peaceable  wisdom 
of  God,  which  is  above  that  which  is  earthly,  sensual,  and 
devilish ;  and  live  in  that  love  of  God  that  is  not  puffed  up, 
nor  is  unseemly ;  which  envieth  not,  but  beareth  and  endureth 
all  things.  In  this  love,  ye  will  seek  the  good  and  peace  of 
all  men,  and  the  hurt  of  no  man.  Keep  out  of  all  heats,  be 
not  hot-headed ;  but  be  cool  and  gentle,  that  your  Christian 
moderation  may  appear  to  all  men ;  for  the  Lord  is  at  hand, 
who  beholds  all  men's  words,  thoughts,  and  actions,  and  will 
reward  every  one  according  to  their  work ;  what  every  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  reap." 

About  this  time  he  felt  some  inclination  to  go  into  the 
country,  but  hearing  that  there  would  be  a  disturbance  of 
their  meetings,  he  concluded  to  stay  over  First-day ;  when  he 
attended  Grace-church  street  meeting.  "William  Penn,"  he 
says,  "  went  with  me,  and  spoke  in  the  meeting.  While  he 
was  declaring  truth,  a  constable  came  in  with  his  great  staff, 
and  bade  him  give  over,  and  come  down ;  but  William  Penn 
held  on,  declaring  truth  in  the  power  of  God.  After  a  while 
the  constable  drew  back ;  and  when  William  Penn  had  done, 
I  stood  up,  and  declared  to  the  people  the  everlasting  gospel 
which  was  preached  in  the  apostles'  days,  and  to  Abraham ; 


380  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

which  the  church  in  the  apostles'  days  did  receive,  and  came 
to  be  heirs  of.  This  gospel,  I  declared,  was  sent  from  hea- 
ven, by  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  apostles'  days,  and  is  so  now ; 
and  was  not  of  man,  neither  by  man,  but  by  the  revelation 

of  the  Holy  Ghost." "As  I  was  thus  speaking,  two 

constables  came  in  with  their  great  staves,  and  bade  me  '  give 
over  speaking,  and  come  down.'  But  I,  feeling  the  power  of 
the  Lord  with  me,  spoke  on  therein,  both  to  the  constables 
and  to  the  people.  To  the  constables  I  declared,  '  That  we 
were  a  peaceable  people,  who  meet  to  wait  upon  God,  and 
worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  and  therefore  they  needed 
not  to  have  come  with  their  staves  against  us,  who  were  met 
in  a  peaceable  manner,  desiring  and  seeking  the  good  and 

salvation   of   all   people.'  '     "  When   I   had   done 

speaking,  I  kneeled  down  and  prayed,  desiring  the  Lord  to 
open  the  eyes  and  hearts  of  all  people,  high  and  low,  that  their 
minds  might  be  turned  to  God  by  his  Holy  Spirit ;  that  he 
might  be  glorified  in  all  and  over  all.  After  prayer,  the 
meeting  rose,  and  Friends  passed  away,  the  constables  being 
come  in  again  without  the  soldiers,  and  indeed,  both  they  and 
the  soldiers  carried  themselves  civilly.  William  Penn  and  I 
went  into  a  room  hard  by,  as  we  used  to  do,  and  many  Friends 
went  with  us ;  and  lest  the  constables  should  think  we  would 
shun  them,  a  Friend  went  down  and  told  them,  if  they  would 
have  anything  with  us,  they  might  come  where  we  were,  if 
they  pleased.  One  of  them  came  to  us  soon  after,  but  with- 
out his  staff,  which  he  chose  to  do  that  he  might  not  be 
observed,  for  he  said,  *  The  people  told  him  he  busied  himself 
more  than  he  needed.'  The  Friends  desired  to  see  his  warrant, 
by  which  they  discovered  that  the  informer  was  one  Hilton,  a 
reputed  Papist.  They  asked  the  constable,  '  Whether  he  could 
arrest  them  on  that  day,  which,  in  law,  is  called  the  Lord's 
day  ?'  He  said,  '  He  thought  he  -could  not ;'  and  he  told 
them,  '  He  had  charged  the  informer  to  come  along  with  him 
to  the  meeting,  but  he  had  run  away  from  him.'  "  On  observing 
that  the  constable  was  a  man  of  kind  feelings,  the  Friends 


FRIENDS    KEPT   OUT   OF   MEETING-HOUSES.  381 

became  solicitous  that  he  should  not  suffer  by  his  lenity  towards 
them,  and  told  him  they  would  meet  him  again,  if  he  would 
set  an  hour.  He  appointed  five  in  the  afternoon ;  but  he  nei- 
ther came  nor  sent  for  them.  Thus  they  escaped,  with  thank- 
ful hearts,  and  acknowledged  that '  the  Lord's  power  was  over 
all.'  " 

During  the  years  1682  and  '83,  the  Friends  in  London 
were  frequently  kept  out  of  their  meeting-houses,  by  order  of 
the  magistrates.  On  one  occasion,  George  Fox  going  early 
to  Devonshire  house,  got  into  the  yard  before  the  soldiers 
came  who  were  to  guard  the  passages ;  but  he  found  the  con- 
stables standing  in  the  door-way  with  their  staves. 

He  asked  them  to  let  him  go  in ;  they  said,  "  They  durst 
not,  for  they  were  commanded  to  the  contrary,  and  were  sorry 
for  it."  He  told  them  "  He  would  not  press  upon  them ;"  so 
he  stood  by  the  door,  and  they  were  very  civil.  When  he 
became  weary  with  standing,  some  one  gave  him  a  stool,  and 
he  sat  down.  After  a  while,  a  Friend  rose  to  speak,  and  the 
constables  soon  forbade  him,  but  he  persisting,  they  became 
angry.  Upon  this,  George  Fox  laid  his  hand  gently  upon 
one  of  the  constables,  and  desired  them  to  let  him  alone, 
which  they  did.  After  the  Friend  had  ceased,  George  rose 
and  said ;  "  You  need  not  come  against  us  with  swords  and 
staves,  for  we  are  a  peaceable  people,  and  have  nothing  in  our 
hearts  but  good-will  to  the  king  and  magistrates,  and  to  all 
the  people  upon  the  earth.  We  do  not  meet,  under  pretence 
of  religion,  to  plot  against  the  government,  or  to  raise  insur- 
rections, but  to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  We  have 
Christ  for  our  Bishop,  Priest,  and  Shepherd,  to  feed  us  and 
oversee  us.  He  rules  in  our  hearts,  and  we  can  sit  in  silence, 
enjoying  our  teacher." 

He  then  sat  down,  after  having  recommended  them  to 
Christ,  "the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  souls."  Being  moved  to 
pray,  he  knelt  down,  and  "  the  power  of  the  Lord  was  over 
all ;"  the  people,  with  the  constables  and  soldiers,  put  off  their 
hats,  and  one  of  the  officers  desired  the  Lord  to  bless  them. 


382  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

About  the  same  period,  he  visited  the  meeting  called  "Bull 
and  mouth,"  where  Friends,  being  kept  out  by  the  constables, 
met  in  the  street,  and  he  was  suffered  to  speak  to  the  assem- 
bled crowd  without  interruption. 

At  Grace-church  street,  the  First-day  following,  he  found 
the  passages  leadiug  to  the  meeting-house  guarded,  so  as  to 
prevent  their  access,  and  Friends  being  met  in  the  street,  he 
stood  upon  a  chair,  and  spoke  largely  to  the  people,  "  opening 
the  principles  of  truth  to  them,  and  declaring  many  weighty 
truths  concerning  magistracy  and  the  Lord's  prayer."  "  There 
was,"  he  says,  "besides  Friends,  a  great  multitude  of  people, 
and  all  was  very  quiet ;  for  the  Lord  was  over  all,  and  in  his 
time  we  broke  up  our  meeting,  and  departed  in  peace." 

At  the  Yearly  Meeting  in  1683,  he  was  under  much  solici- 
tude lest  the  Friends  in  attendance  from  the  country  should 
be  taken  and  imprisoned  at  London ;  but,  through  Divine 
favour,  they  were  preserved,  and  the  meeting  was  a  season  of 
spiritual  refreshment.  As  it  was  a  time  of  great  persecution, 
and  Friends  throughout  the  country  were  subjected  to  imprison- 
ment and  the  spoiling  of  their  goods,  he  was  deeply  concerned, 
"  lest  any  Friends,  and  especially  traders  and  dealers,  should 
hazard  the  losing  of  other  men's  goods  or  estates  through 
their  sufferings."  He  therefore  addressed  to  Friends  through- 
out the  nation  the  following  epistle,  which  is  characteristic  of 
his  sound  judgment  and  practical  piety : 

"DEAR  FRIENDS  AND  BRETHREN  IN  THE  LORD  JESUS 
CHRIST,  who  is  your  only  sanctuary  in  this  day  of  storm  and 
persecution,  spoiling  of  goods  and  imprisonment !  Let  every 
one's  eye  be  unto  him  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth 
given  unto  him ;  so  that  none  can  touch  an  hair  of  your  head, 
nor  you,  nor  anything  ye  have,  except  it  be  permitted  or  suf- 
fered in  this  day  to  try  his  people,  whether  their  minds  be 
with  the  Lord  or  in  outward  things. 

"  Dear  Friends,  take  care  that  all  your  offerings  be  free, 
and  of  your  own,  that  has  cost  you  something;  so  that  ye 
may  not  offer  of  that  which  is  another  man's,  or  that  which 


HIS   EPISTLE   TO   FRIENDS.  383 

ye  are  intrusted  withal,  (and  not  your  own,)  or  fatherless'  or 
widows'  estates ;  but  all  such  things  settle  and  establish  in 
their  places.  You  may  remember,  many  years  ago,  in  a  time 
of  great  persecution,  divers  Friends,  who  were  traders,  shop- 
keepers, and  others,  had  the  concerns  of  widows  and  father- 
less, and  other  people's  estates,  in  their  hands.  And  when  a 
great  suffering,  persecution,  and  spoiling  of  goods  came  upon 
Friends,  especial  care  was  taken  that  all  might  offer  up  to  the 
Lord,  in  their  sufferings,  what  was  really  their  own,  and  not 
any  other  people's  estates  or  goods  which  they  had  in  their 
hands ;  and  that  they  might  not  offer  up  another  body's,  but 
that  which  they  had  bought  and  paid  for,  or  were  able  to  pay 
for.  Afterwards,  several  letters  came  out  of  the  country  to 
the  meeting  at  London,  from  Friends  that  had  goods  of  the 
shopkeepers  at  London,  upon  credit,  which  they  had  not  paid 
for,  who  wrote  to  their  creditors,  intreating  them  to  take  their 
goods  again.  And  some  Friends  came  to  London  themselves, 
and  treated  with  their  creditors,  letting  them  understand  they 
lay  liable  to  have  all  they  had  taken  from  them,  and  told 
them  they  would  not  have  any  man  to  suffer  by  them ;  neither 
would  they,  by  suffering,  offer  up  anything  but  what  was  really 
their  own,  or  what  they  were  able  to  pay  for.  Upon  which 
several  took  their  goods  again.  This  wrought  a  very  good 
savour  in  the  hearts  of  many  people,  when  they  saw  such  a 
righteous,  just,  and  honest  principle  in  Friends,  that  they 
would  not  make  any  suffer  for  their  testimony  ;  but  what  they 
did  suffer  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  should  be  really  and 
truly  their  own,  not  other  people's.  In  this  they  owed  nothing 
to  any  but  to  love.  So  in  this  every  man  and  woman  stands 
in  the  free  offering,  a  free  people,  whether  it  be  spiritual  or 
temporal,  which  is  their  own ;  and  in  that  they  wrong  no 

man,  neither  inwardly  nor  outwardly 

GEORGE  Fox. 

"  London,  2d  of  4th  month,  1683." 

During  the  year  1683,  he  was  generally  in  London  and  its 
vicinity,  attending  the  meetings  of  Friends,  encouraging  them 


384  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

to  constancy  under  their  sufferings,  visiting  the  prisoners,  the 
sick  and  the  afflicted,  and  writing  letters  of  advice  and  conso- 
lation. He  attended  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  London  in  1684, 
•which  he  says  "was  a  blessed,  weighty  meeting,  wherein 
Friends  were  sweetly  refreshed  together ;  for  the  Lord  was 
with  us,  and  opened  his  heavenly  treasures  amongst  us." 

One  of  the  subjects  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
meeting,  was  the  suffering  condition  of  Friends  who  were 
captives  at  Algiers.  "  A  collection  for  their  redemption  was 
proposed  and  unanimously  agreed  upon,"  and  the  same  was 
recommended  to  all  the  Quarterly  Meetings  in  England  and 
Wales,  as  also  to  Friends  in  Ireland,  Scotland,  Barbadoes, 
and  Jamaica.* 

Soon  after  the  Yearly  Meeting  he  embarked  for  Holland, 
being  led  by  a  sense  of  religious  duty,  to  visit  some  of  the 
meetings  of  Friends  on  the  continent.  He  was  accompanied 
by  Alexander  Parker,  George  Watts  and  Nathaniel  Brassey, 
who  were  under  a  like  religious  engagement. 

After  a  good  passage  they  landed  at  the  Brill,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Rotterdam,  where  they  had  a  satisfactory  meeting, 
and  George  Fox  had  much  discourse  with  an  alderman  who 
called  on  him,  and  a  burgomaster  who  invited  him  to  his  house. 
At  Amsterdam  they  attended  the  Yearly  Meeting,  which 
began  the  8th  of  the  4th  month,  and  closed  on  the  12th. 

*  London  Epistle,  1684.  By  the  Yearly  Meeting  epistles  from  1685 
to  1702,  it  appears  that  continual  endeavours  were  made  to  ransom 
their  suffering  brethren,  in  captivity  at  Algiers,  and  in  Morocco  ;  some 
of  whom  were  convinced  of  Friends'  principles,  during  their  captivity. 
In  the  year  1700,  the  King  of  England  ordered  a  general  collection  to 
be  taken  up  for  the  ransom  of  English  captives,  when  Friends  informed 
the  government,  that  they  intended  to  redeem  their  members  at  their 
own  charge.  The  Yearly  Meeting  recommended,  however,  that  when 
the  collectors  came  with  briefs  to  Friends'  houses,  they  should  "  extend 
their  charity  in  common  with  their  neighbours,  towards  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  other  English  captives."  This  example  is  worthy  of  re- 
membrance in  the  present  day,  when  so  many  of  our  fellow-creatures 
are  still  suffering  under  the  rod  of  oppression. 


HIS   TRAVELS   IN   HOLLAND.  385 

Here  they  had  an  opportunity  to  see  Friends  from  several 
provinces,  and  "  They  were  refreshed  together  in  the  love  of 
God." 

George  Fox  in  his  Journal,  thus  relates  an  interview  he  had 
with  Galenus  Abrahams,  one  of  the  principal  ministers 
among  the  Menonites,  or  Baptists.  "  I  had  been  with  him 
when  I  was  in  Holland  about  seven  years  before;  and 
William  Penn  and  George  Keith  had  disputes  with  him.  He 
was  then  very  high  and  very  shy,  so  that  he  would  not  let  me 
touch  him,  nor  look  upon  him  (by  his  good-will),  but  bid  me 
keep  my  eyes  off  him ;  for,  he  said,  '  they  pierced  him.' 
But  now  he  was  very  loving  and  tender,  and  confessed  in 
some  measure  to  truth :  his  wife  also,  and  daughter,  were  ten- 
der and  kind,  and  we  parted  from  them  very  lovingly." 

They  extended  their  travels  to  Friesland,  and  then  returned 
to  Amsterdam,  where  they  had  several  large  and  precious 
meetings,  some  of  which  were  attended  by  persons  of  rank 
from  Germany.  After  spending  some  weeks  in  this  journey, 
during  which  they  were  diligently  engaged  in  holding  meet- 
ings, and  visiting  Friends  in  the  love  of  the  gospel,  they  re- 
turned to  England,  and  George  Fox  went  to  the  house  of  his 
son-in-law  William  Mead  in  Essex,  where  he  stayed  some  time 
to  rest  and  recruit  his  strength. 


25 


386  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Occupation  in  London — Yearly  Meeting,  1685 — Death  of  Charles  II. — 
Accession  of  James  II. — Liberation  of  1300  Friends — Yearly  Meet- 
ing, 1686 — Epistle  of  George  Fox  to  Friends — His  Gift  of  a  Meeting- 
House — King's  Declaration  of  Indulgence — George  Fox  on  Prayer — 
On  the  Way  to  the  Kingdom— On  Heaven — Accession  of  William 
and  Mary — Act  of  Toleration — Yearly  Meeting,  1690 — Epistle  to 
Friends — Death  of  George  Fox — Death  of  Margaret  Fox. 

1684-91. 

GEORGE  Fox  was  now  in  his  sixty-first  year.  His  intellect 
was  still  clear  and  vigorous ;  but,  from  the  effect  of  long  im- 
prisonments in  damp,  unwholesome  cells,  his  constitution  was 
impaired,  and  his  body  enfeebled. 

Being  thus  disabled  from  travelling  in  the  service  of  the 
gospel,  he  generally  remained  in  London  and  its  vicinity, 
where  the  concerns  of  the  society  he  had  founded  required  his 
attention,  and  gave  rise  to  an  extensive  correspondence  with 
Friends  throughout  the  nation,  and  in  foreign  lands.  Finding, 
however,  that  his  health  suffered  from  the  confined  air  of  the 
metropolis,  he  frequently  withdrew  to  the  houses  of  his  sons- 
in-law,  John  Rouse  and  William  Mead ;  the  former  of  whom 
resided  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  and  the  latter  had  a  coun- 
try-seat near  Waltham  Abbey,  in  Essex.  His  wife  was  re- 
quired by  her  maternal  duties,  to  be  much  at  Swarthmore ; 
but  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  she  was  often  resident  with 
her  daughters  near  London,  where  she  could  enjoy  the  society 
of  her  husband. 

In  the  year  1684,  he  writes  in  his  Journal,  "It  was  the 
latter  end  of  the  summer  when  I  came  to  London,  where  I 
stayed  the  winter  following ;  save  once  or  twice,  my  wife 
being  in  town  with  me,  I  went  with  her  to  her  son  Rouse's,  at 
Kingston.  And  though  my  body  was  very  weak,  yet  I  was 
in  continual  service  either  in  public  meetings,  when  I  was  able 


MONMOUTH'S  INSURKECTION.  387 

to  bear  them,  or  in  particular  business  among  Friends,  and 
visiting  those  that  were  sufferers  for  truth,  either  by  imprison- 
ment or  loss  of  goods.  Many  things  also  at  this  time  I  wrote ; 
some  for  the  press,  and  some  for  particular  service ;  as  letters 
to  the  King  of  Denmark,  and  one  to  the  Duke  of  Holstein 
on  behalf  of  Friends  that  were  sufferers  in  his  dominions." 
The  latter  of  these  two  epistles,  after  alluding  to  an  attempt 
made  by  some  evil-minded  person  to  prejudice  the  duke  against 
Friends,  on  account  of  women's  preaching,  proceeds  to  show 
from  the  scriptures,  that  there  were  female  preachers  in  the 
primitive  Christian  church,  and  that  the  prophecy  of  Joel, 
quoted  by  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  was  thereby  ful- 
filled. 

Charles  II.  having  died  in  the  winter  of  1684—5,  his  bro- 
ther, the  Duke  of  York,  succeeded  him  under  the  title  of 
James  II.  Soon  after  the  coronation,  the  Duke  of  Monmouth, 
a  natural  son  of  Charles  II.,  landed  in  the  west  of  England, 
and  claimed  the  throne.  An  insurrection  in  his  favour  took 
place,  but  was  soon  quelled,  and  the  insurgents  were  punished 
with  a  vindictive  severity  that  has  seldom  been  equalled. 
There  being  much  excitement,  and  many  arrests  on  account 
of  the  insurrection,  George  Fox  was  apprehensive  that  Friends 
then  coming  to  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  London,  would  be 
molested  on  their  way.  "But,"  he  says,  "the  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  his  wonted  goodness,  was  graciously  pleased  to  preserve 
Friends  in  safety,  and  gave  us  a  blessed  opportunity  to  meet 
together  in  peace  and  quietness,  and  accompanied  our  meet- 
ings with  his  living,  refreshing  presence :  blessed  forever  be 
his  holy  name  !" 

Considering  the  disturbed  state  of  the  nation,  he  was  led  to 
address  a  few  lines  to  Friends,  "  to  caution  all  to  keep  out  of 
the  spirit  of  the  world,  in  which  trouble  is,  and  to  dwell  in  the 
peaceable  truth."  From  this  epistle  the  following  passage  is 
selected : 

....  "  Dear  friends  and  brethren,  whatever  bustlings  and 
trouble,  tumults  or  outrages,  quarrels  and  strife  arise  in  the 


388  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

world,  keep  out  of  them  all;  concern  not  yourselves  with 
them ;  but  keep  in  the  Lord's  power  and  peaceable  truth,  that 
is  over  all  such  things ;  in  which  power  ye  seek  the  peace  and 
good  of  all  men.  Live  in  the  love  which  God  has  shed  abroad 
in  your  hearts  through  Christ  Jesus ;  in  which  love  nothing 
is  able  to  separate  you  from  God  and  Christ ;  neither  outward 
sufferings,  persecutions,  nor  anything  that  is  below  and  with- 
out ;  nor  to  hinder  or  break  your  heavenly  fellowship  in  the 
light,  gospel,  and  spirit  of  Christ,  nor  your  holy  communion 
in  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  which  leads  you  into  all  truth." 

He  remained  in  the  city  a  short  time  after  the  Yearly 
Meeting,  when,  being  exhausted  with  the  heat  of  the  weather, 
and  continual  attention  to  business,  he  retired  to  the  country. 
Here  a  concern  attended  his  mind  on  account  of  "  the  growth 
and  increase  of  pride,  vanity,  and  excess  in  apparel,"  not  only 
in  the  nation  at  large,  but  even  among  some  in  membership 
with  Friends.  In  consideration  of  this  growing  evil,  he  gave 
forth  a  paper,  showing  from  the  scriptures,  that  the  only  true 
adorning  is  "  that  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  in  the  sight  of 
God  is  of  great  price." 

On  his  return  to  the  city,  one  of  the  objects  that  claimed 
his  attention,  was  the  distribution  of  funds  which,  he  says, 
"  Friends  in  Ireland  had  charitably  and  very  liberally  raised," 
for  the  relief  of  their  brethren  who  were  under  suffering  for 
the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience. 

In  the  spring  of  1686,  being  the  second  year  of  his  reign, 
James  II.  granted  a  warrant  for  the  liberation  of  all  Friends 
who  were  in  prison  on  account  of  dissent  from  the  worship  of 
the  established  church,  and  for  refusing  to  swear.*  This  war- 
rant, intended  to  carry  out  the  design  of  a  previous  proclama- 
tion, was  the  means  of  liberating  from  the  prisons  of  England 
and  Wales  upwards  of  1300  Friends,  some  of  whom  had  been 

*  See  warrant  in  G.  Whitehead's  Christian  Progress,  p.  588. 


ABATEMENT   OF   PERSECUTION.  389 

more  than  twelve  years  separated  from  their  families  and 
homes.* 

The  penal  laws  against  non-conformity  were,  however,  still 
in  force,  and  the  informers  were  still  disposed  to  be  busy  in 
their  infamous  vocation.  Application  being  made  to  the  king 
to  arrest  their  proceedings,  commissioners  were  appointed  to 
hear  the  complaint  of  the  Friends,  who  proved  most  conclu- 
sively that  the  informers  had,  in  numerous  instances,  been 
guilty  of  perjury  and  extreme  violence,  which  being  reported 
to  the  government,  directions  were  given  to  the  judges  and 
magistrates  to  discountenance  their  depredations.  These 
humane  and  judicious  measures  were  believed,  by  the  Friends, 
to  proceed  from  a  sincere  desire,  on  the  part  of  the  king,  to 
promote  religious  toleration;  and  they  were  certainly  in 
accordance  with  declarations  he  had  made  prior  to  his  acces- 
sion to  the  crown. f  His  great  regard  for  William  Penn,  who 
was  an  earnest  advocate  of  religious  liberty,  was  undoubtedly 
an  additional  motive  for  extending  protection  to  the  persecuted 
Friends. 

At  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  London,  in  1686,  many  valuable 
members,  whose  faces  had  not  been  seen  there  for  a  long 
period,  being  now  released  from  imprisonment,  met  with  their 
brethren  and  sisters,  and  they  rejoiced  together  in  the  mercies 
of  God.  George  Fox  being  solicitous  that  Friends  should  not 
look  to  man  as  the  source  of  their  deliverance,  but  should 
turn  their  hearts  in  reverent  thankfulness  to  him  who  is  the 
Fountain  of  all  good,  addressed  to  them  the  following  epistle : 

"  FRIENDS  :  The  Lord  by  his  eternal  power  hath  disposed  the 
heart  of  the  king,  to  open  the  prison  doors,  by  which  about  fifteen 
or  sixteen  hundred  are  set  at  liberty,  and  hath  given  a  check  to 
the  informers,  so  that  in  many  places  our  meetings  are  pretty 
quiet.  My  desires  are  that  both  liberty  and  suiferings  may  be 
sanctified,  to  his  people  ;  that  Friends  may  prize  the  mercies 

*  Gough's  History,  Book  V.,  chap.  III. 
f  Janney's  Life  of  Penn,  chap.  VII. 


390  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

of  the  Lord  in  all  things,  and  to  him  be  thankful,  who  still- 
eth  the  raging  waves  of  the  sea,  allayeth  the  storms  and 
tempests,  and  maketh  a  calm.  Therefore,  it  is  good  to  trust 
in  the  Lord,  and  cast  your  care  upon  him,  who  careth  for 
you.  For  when  ye  were  in  jails  and  prisons,  the  Lord  did  by 
his  eternal  arm  and  power  uphold  you,  and  sanctified  them  to 
you ;  unto  some  he  made  them  a  sanctuary,  and  tried  his  peo- 
ple as  in  a  furnace  of  affliction,  both  in  prisons  and  spoiling 
of  goods.  In  all  this,  the  Lord  was  with  his  people  and 
taught  them  to  know,  that  *  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the 
fulness  thereof;'  and  that  he  was  in  all  places,  'who  crown- 
eth  the  year  with  his  goodness.'  Therefore  let  all  God's  peo- 
ple be  diligent,  and  careful  to  keep  the  camp  of  God  holy, 
pure,  and  clean;  and  to  serve  God  and  Christ,  and  one 
another,  in  the  glorious  peaceable  gospel  of  life  and  salva- 
tion ;  which  glory  shines  over  God's  camp,  and  his  great 
Prophet,  Bishop  and  Shepherd  is  among  or  in  the  midst  of 
them,  exercising  his  heavenly  offices  in  them  :  so  that  you, 
his  people,  may  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  through  whom  you 
have  peace  with  God.  For  he  that  destroyeth  the  devil  and 
his  works,  and  bruises  the  serpent's  head,  is  all  God's  people's 
heavenly  foundation  and  rock  to  build  upon ;  which  was  the 
holy  prophets'  and  apostles'  rock  in  days  past,  and  is  now  the 
rock  of  our  age,  which  rock  the  foundation  of  God  standeth 
sure. 

Upon  this  the  Lord  God  establish  his  people.     Amen. 

GEORGE  Fox. 

"  London,  25th  of  the  7th  month,  1686." 

Many  other  epistles  and  tracts  which  he  wrote  about  this 
time,  afford  abundant  evidence  of  his  humble,  watchful  frame 
of  mind,  his  fervent  piety,  and  his  high  appreciation  of  the 
mercies  of  God  through  Christ ;  both  in  his  outward  advent 
as  the  promised  Messiah,  and  in  his  inward  manifestation  as  a 
Spirit  of  life  in  the  soul.  Nor  was  it  only  by  his  written 
advices  and  his  gospel  ministry  that  George  Fox  evinced  his 
interest  in  the  flock  that  he  had  been  instrumental  in  gather- 


HIS   GIFT   OP   PROPEETY  AT   SWARTHMORE,  391 

ing ;  he  was  faithful  in  the  distribution  of  private  charity,  and 
liberal,  according  to  his  ability,  in  acts  of  public  beneficence. 
One  of  his  gifts,  of  a  public  nature,  was  for  a  meeting- 
house at  Swarthmore,  as  stated  in  the  following  grant,  viz : — 

GEORGE  FOX'S  DECLARED  INTENTION  AND  MOTION  FOR  HIS 

GIVING  UP  PETTY'S  HOUSE  AND  LAND  FOREVER,  FOR  THE 

SERVICE  OF  THE  LORD  AND  THE  PEOPLE  CALLED  QUAKERS. 

"  The  eternal  God,  who  hath,  in  and  by  his  eternal  powerful 

arm,  preserved  me  through  all  my  troubles,  trials,  temptations, 

and  afflictions ;  persecutions,  reproaches,  and  imprisonments ; 

and  carried  me  over  them  all,  hath  sanctified  all  these  things 

to  me,  so  that  I  can  say,  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 

them  that  love  God,  and  are  beloved  of  him. 

"  And  the  Lord  God  of  the  whole  heaven  and  earth,  and 
all  things  therein,  both  natural  and  spiritual,  hath  been,  by 
his  eternal  power,  my  preserver,  and  upholder,  and  keeper, 
and  hath  taken  care  and  provided  for  me,  both  for  temporals 
and  spirituals,  so  that  I  never  did  want ;  and  have  been  con- 
tent and  thankful  with  what  the  Lord  provided  for  me. 

"  And  now  the  Lord  hath  done  much  good  to  me,  and  to 
his  name,  truth,  and  people,  to  whom  I  have  offered  up  my 
spirit,  soul,  and  body,  which  are  the  Lord's,  made  and  created 
for  his  glory.  And  also  I  do  offer  and  give  up  freely  to  the 
Lord  forever,  and  for  the  service  of  his  sons,  daughters,  and 
servants,  called  Quakers,  the  house  and  houses,  barn,  kiln, 
stable,  and  all  the  land,  with  the  garden  and  orchard,  being 
about  three  acres  of  land,  more  or  less ;  with  the  common- 
ings,  peats,  turfings,  moss,  and  whatsoever  other  privileges 
that  belong  to  it,  called  Swarthmore,  in  the  parish  of  Ulver- 
stone. 

"  And  also  my  ebony  bedstead,  with  the  painted  curtains, 
and  the  great  elbow-chair  that  Robert  Widders  sent  me ;  and 
my  great  sea-case  or  cellaridge,  with  the  bottles  in  it.  These 
I  do  give  to  stand  in  the  house  as  heir-looms,  when  the  house 
is  made  use  of  for  a  meeting  place ;  so  that  a  Friend  may 


392  LIFE   OF    GEORGE   FOX. 

have  a  bed  to  lie  on,  and  a  chair  to  sit  in,  and  a  hottle  to  hold 
a  little  water  to  drink. 

"  It  being  free  land,  and  free  from  all  tithe,  both  great  and 
small ;  and  all  this  I  do  freely  give  up  to  the  Lord,  and  for 
the  Lord's  service  and  his  people's,  to  make  it  a  meeting 
place  of. 

"  It  is  all  the  land  and  house  I  have  in  England,  and  it  is 
given  up  to  the  Lord,  for  it  is  for  his  service,  and  for  his 
children's. 

GEORGE  Fox. 

"Kingston-upon-Thames,  13th  of  12th  month,  1686." 

"  I  do  and  have  given  up  Petty's,  which  I  bought  of  the 
children  of  Susannah  Fell  and  Rachel  Fell,  for  seventy-two 
pounds ;  for  God's  people  to  meet  in,  when  they  do  not  meet 
at  Swarthmore-hall ;  and  let  the  rest  of  the  ground  and  malt- 
house  maintain  the  meeting-house,  which  may  be  made  fit, 
either  the  barn  or  the  house,  as  the  Lord  shall  let  Friends  see 
which  is  best ;  and  to  slate  it,  and  pave  the  way  to  it,  that  so 
Friends  may  go  dry  to  their  meeting.  And  let  or  set  part  of 
the  house  and  land  to  maintain  itself  forever  for  the  Lord's 
service.  And  you  may  let  any  poor  honest  Friend  live  in 
part  of  the  house.  And  so  let  it  be  for  the  Lord's  service  to 
the  end  of  the  world ;  and  for  his  people  to  meet  in,  to  keep 
them  from  the  winter  cold  and  the  wet,  and  the  summer  heat."  * 

In  a  letter  to  his  son-in-law,  Thomas  Lower,  who  lived  at 
Mash-Grange,  in  Lancashire,  he  says  :  .  .  .  "  Dear  Thomas, 
I  have  sent  thee  a  copy  of  my  mind,  concerning  Petty's, 
which  thou  mayest  privately  show  to  thy  mother,  and  the  list 
of  the  names.  You  that  live  in  the  country  may  know  which 
of  these  are  the  fittest  to  put  into  the  deed  of  trust."  .... 
"  This  will  be  a  confirmation  of  what  has  all  along  been  in 
thy  mother's  mind;  that  the  meeting  will  be  continued  at 
Swarthmore."  ....  "As  for  the  affairs  of  truth,  in  the 
general,  things  are  pretty  well,  and  meetings  are  quiet  both 

*  Take's  Memoirs  of  George  Fox,  p.  294-300. 


PKESENT   STATE   OP   SWARTHMORE.  393 

in  England  and  beyond  the  seas.  The  Lord  keep  his  people 
in  his  fear  and  in  humility,  in  this  time  of  liberty,  that  they 
do  not  forget  Him ;  for  there  is  danger  in  a  time  of  liberty, 
as  in  a  time  of  suffering,  for  that  to  get  up  which  will  not 
stand  faithful ;  but  my  desire  is  that  all  may  walk  worthy  of 
the  Lord's  mercies." 

In  another  letter,  he  gives  directions  concerning  the  repairs 
and  alterations  required  to  fit  the  house  for  a  place  of  worship, 
which  was  to  be  done  at  his  own  cost,  except  such  building 
materials  as  some  of  the  neighbouring  Friends  might  be  dis- 
posed to  supply.* 

*  This  building  is  yet  standing,  and  has  been  occupied  as  a  Friends' 
meeting-house,  from  a  period  soon  after  the  death  of  George  Fox,  until  the 
present  time.  It  is  described  by  a  recent  visiter,  as  "  a  pretty  little  stone 
edifice,  in  a  neat  and  beautiful  yard,  surrounded  by  a  high  stone  wall.  The 
building  is  partly  overgrown  with  ivy,  and  environed  with  hawthorn  and 
holly  bushes."  Over  the  door  is  engraved  this  inscription,  "  Ex  dono  G.  F. 
1688,"  (the  gift  of  George  Fox,  1688).  There  are  three  rooms,  one  of 
which,  used  as  the  meeting-house,  has  a  new  wooden  floor ;  the  other  two 
are  paved  with  stone,  and  were  used  for  the  accommodation  of  Friends  who 
came  from  a  distance.  In  one  of  these  stands  an  old  wooden  chest,  which 
contains  the  library.  An  old  ebony  bedstead,  the  gift  of  George  Fox,  for- 
merly stood  here.  It  became  unfit  for  use,  and  the  pillars  were  taken  out 
and  inserted  in  the  door-way  for  posts,  in  order  to  preserve  them.  They 
are  polished  beautifully,  and  present  a  quaint  appearance. 

Two  massive  arm-chairs,  of  solyl  oak,  adorned  with  carved  work,  stand 
in  the  meeting-house.  They  belonged  to  George  Fox  and  his  wife,  and 
have  been  removed  hither  from  the  hall.  The  bible  which  George  Fox  gave 
to  Swarthmore  meeting  was  formerly  kept  here,  but  is  now  placed  in  the 
custody  of  a  neighbouring  Friend.  It  is  a  large  volume,  printed  in  black- 
letter,  with  wooden  backs,  iron-bound  at  the  corners,  and  having  a  chain 
and  padlock  attached,  by  which  it  was  formerly  fastened  to  a  desk  in  the 
meeting-house. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  meeting-house  stands  Swarthmore- 
hall,  now  much  reduced  from  its  ancient  dignity.  A  portion  of  it,  having 
become  dilapidated,  has  been  removed,  and  that  which  remains  presents  the 
appearance  of  desolation  and  decay.  The  large  hall  where  Friends  held 
their  meetings  for  forty  years,  remains  nearly  as  it  was  in  the  days  of 
George  Fox.  It  has  a  bow-window,  within  which  is  a  raised  platform,  from 
which  he  used  to  preach.  The  floor  is  paved  with  stone,  and  the  ceiling  and 
wainscot  are  of  oak.  A  passage-way  leads  from  this  room,  by  an  elevated 


394  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

In  the  year  1687,  King  James  II.  issued  his  declaration  of 
indulgence  to  all  religious  dissenters,  by  which  the  laws 
against  non-conformity  were  suspended,  and  the  penal  tests 
removed.  The  Papists  now  began  to  appear  more  openly  in 
the  exercise  of  their  religion,  and  their  prayers  by  beads  and 
to  saints  being  much  talked  of,  George  Fox  wrote  a  paper 
concerning  prayer,  in  which  he  shows,  that  prayers  to  saints, 
and  to  Mary  the  mother  of  Christ,  are  not  consistent  with 
the  doctrine  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  who  taught  his  disciples  to 
pray  to  "  Our  Father  who  is  in  heaven." 

"  To  take  counsel  of  the  dead,"  he  adds,  "was  forbidden 
by  the  law  of  God ;  they  were  to  take  counsel  of  the  Lord. 
He  hath  given  Christ  in  the  new  covenant,  in  his  gospel  day, 
to  be  a  counsellor  and  a  leader  to  all  believers  in  his  light. 
Men  are  not  to  run  to  the  dead,  for  the  living ;  for  the  law 
and  the  testimony  of  God  forbid  it." 

In  the  summer  of  1687,  he  sojourned  some  weeks  at  the  coun- 
try-seat of  his  son-in-law  William  Mead,  in  Essex,  and  during 
the  intervals  between  the  attendance  of  neighbouring  meetings, 
he  wrote  a  number  of  letters  and  tracts  for  spreading  the 
principles  of  Truth.  "One  was  a  paper  proving  from  the 
scriptures,  that  people  must  repent  before  they  can  receive  the 
gospel,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  be 

baptized." "Another  was   a  short   paper,  showing 

wherein  God's  people  should  be  like  unto  him."  In  this 
paper,  he  maintains  that  God  being  holy,  just,  and  good,  re- 
quires his  people  to  cultivate  in  themselves  these  heavenly 
qualities,  and  to  manifest  by  their  conduct,  that  they  are  the 
children  of  Him,  "  who  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the 
good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."  But, 
inasmuch  as  most  persons  would  acknowledge  that  God's 

step,  to  the  parlour.  In  this  passage,  it  is  said,  Judge  Fell  used  to  sit 
during  the  time  of  divine  worship ;  for  although  he  could  not  countenance 
the  Friends  by  sitting  with  them,  yet  he  was  drawn  by  an  irresistible  im- 
pulse, to  listen  to  their  powerful  and  heart-searching  ministry. 

(From  a  private  Letter.) 


THE   REVOLUTION   OF   1688.  395 

people  should  be  in  this  state  of  holiness,  and  yet  few  knew 
how  to  attain  it ;  he  was  led,  "  in  the  openings  of  the  Spirit 
of  Truth,"  to  write  another  paper,  directing  them  to  "the 
right  way  and  means,  whereby  people  might  come  to  Christ, 
and  so  be  made  like  unto  God."  In  this,  he  shows  that 
"  Christ  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,"  who  has  declared, 
"  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath 
sent  me  draw  him."  Now  what  is  the  means  by  which  God 
doth  draw  his  people  to  his  Son,  but  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  who 
"  poureth  out  the  spirit  upon  all  flesh,  that  is  upon  all  men 
and  women." 

"Before  I  left  this  place,"  he  says,  "I  wrote  another 
paper,  the  scope  whereof  was  to  show,  by  many  instances 
taken  out  of  the  holy  scriptures,  that  the  kingdom  of  God, 
which  most  people  talk  of  at  a  distance,  and  refer  altogether 
to  another  life,  is  in  some  measure  to  be  known  and  entered 
into  in  this  life ;  but  that  none  can  know  an  entrance  there- 
into but  such  as  are  regenerated  and  born  again." 

Thus  did  this  faithful  servant  of  Christ,  by  his  writings,  as 
well  as  his  public  ministry,  call  the  attention  of  mankind  to 
seek  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  the  reign  of  God  in  the 
soul ;  and  to  place  their  reliance  upon  the  Spirit  of  his  Son, 
as  a  Redeemer,  not  only  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  but  likewise 
from  the  power  and  dominion  of  evil. 

On  the  17th  of  the  8th  month  (October)  1688,  his  mind 
being  under  deep  religious  exercise  on  account  of  the  revolu- 
tion in  government  which  he  saw  was  about  to  take  place 
in  England,  he  wrote  "A  general  epistle  to  Friends,  to 
warn  them  of  the  approaching  storm,  that  they  might  all 
retire  to  the  Lord,  in  whom  is  safety."  About  three  weeks 
after  the  date  of  this  epistle,  William,  Prince  of  Orange, 
landed  in  England,  having  been  invited  over  by  many  of  the 
most  influential  of  the  nobility  and  gentry.  He  was  soon  at 
the  head  of  a  powerful  army,  and  King  James,  finding  he  had 
few  adherents  to  support  him,  withdrew  to  France,  and  left 
the  field  to  his  antagonist. 


396  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

After  the  accession  of  William  and  Mary  to  the  sovereignty 
of  Great  Britain,  a  bill  was  introduced  into  Parliament,  with 
the  king's  concurrence,  for  granting  toleration  to  Protestant 
dissenters.  While  it  was  pending,  during  the  spring  of 
1689,  George  Fox  thus  writes  in  his  Journal:  "Though 
I  was  weak  in  body,  and  not  well  able  to  stir  to  and  fro, 
yet  so  great  a  concern  was  upon  my  spirit  in  behalf  of 
truth  and  Friends,  that  I  attended  continually  for  many  days, 
with  others,  at  the  Parliament-house,  labouring  with  the  mem- 
bers, that  the  thing  might  be  done  comprehensively  and 
effectually."  In  the  same  year  the  act  was  passed,  and  ap- 
proved by  the  king.  It  provided  that  none  of  the  penal  laws 
should  be  construed  to  extend  to  those  Dissenters  who  should 
take  the  oaths  to  the  present  government,  and  a  clause  was 
inserted  for  the  relief  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  accepting 
from  them,  instead  of  the  oaths,  a  solemn  promise  to  be  faith- 
ful to  the  king  and  queen. 

We  can  readily  conceive  how  grateful  it  must  have  been  to 
George  Fox,  now  in  the  decline  of  life,  to  witness  the  passage 
of  a  law  which,  although  it  did  not  fully  satisfy  the  demands 
of  justice,  secured  a  considerable  degree  of  religious  liberty. 
For  forty  years  he,  and  those  who  were  united  with  him  in 
religious  fellowship,  had  meekly  borne  the  iron  rod  of  perse- 
cution, "  as  deceivers,  and  yet  true ;  as  sorrowful,  yet  always 
rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet  making  many  rich."  But  now  their 
patience  had  triumphed  over  the  malice  of  their  enemies,  their 
uprightness  was  acknowledged  by  the  nation  at  large,  and 
they  were  permitted  the  tranquil  enjoyment  of  their  religion. 
Having  stood  firm  in  the  dark  season  of  adversity,  and  kept 
the  faith  through  many  trials,  it  was  now  to  be  seen,  whether 
they  would  be  equally  faithful  to  their  principles  in  the  genial 
season  of  prosperity.  That  eminent  minister  to  whom  they 
had  so  long  looked  for  counsel,  saw,  with  prophetic  eye,  the 
dangers  that  awaited  them,  and  thus  expressed  his  paternal 
admonitions : 


HIS   EPISTLE   TO   FRIENDS.  397 

"  To  all  that  profess  the  truth  of  God. 

"My  desires  are  that  you  walk  humbly  in  it;  for  when  the 
Lord  first  called  me  forth,  he  let  me  see  that  young  people 
grew  up  together  in  vanity  and  in  the  fashions  of  the  world, 
and  old  people  went  downwards  into  the  earth,  raking  it 
together ;  and  to  both  these  I  was  to  be  a  stranger.  And 
now,  Friends,  I  do  see  too  many  young  people  that  profess 
the  truth,  grow  up  into  the  fashions  of  the  world,  and  too 
many  parents  indulge  them ;  and  amongst  the  elder,  some  are 
declining  downwards,  and  raking  after  the  earth.  Therefore, 
take  heed  that  you  are  not  making  your  graves,  while  you  are 
alive  outwardly,  and  loading  yourselves  with  thick  clay. 
Hah.  ii.  6.  For  if  you  have  not  power  over  the  earthly  spirit, 
and  that  which  leadeth  into  a  vain  mind,  and  the  fashions  of 
the  world,  and  into  the  earth ;  though  you  have  often  had  the 
rain  fall  upon  your  fields,  you  will  bring  forth  thistles,  briars, 
and  thorns,  which  are  for  the  fire.  Such  will  become  brittle, 
peevish,  fretful  spirits,  that  will  not  abide  the  heavenly  doc- 
trine, the  admonitions,  exhortations,  and  reproofs  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  or  heavenly  spirit  of  God ;  which  would  bring  you  to 
be  conformable  to  the  death  of  Christ,  and  to  his  image,  that 
you  might  have  fellowship  with  him  in  his  resurrection. 
Therefore  it  is  good  for  all  to  bow  to  the  name  of  Jesus,  their 
Saviour,  that  all  may  confess  him  to  the  glory  of  God  the 

Father." 

GEORGE  Fox." 

In  the  third  month,  1689,  he  attended  with  much  satisfac- 
tion, the  Yearly  Meeting  of  London ;  and  soon  after  its  close, 
he  wrote  an  epistle  to  the  Yearly  or  General  Meeting  about 
to  be  held  at  York. 

It  appears  that  there  had  been  some  dissension  among 
Friends  of  that  county ;  and  this  epistle,  which  breathes  the 
spirit  of  Christian  charity,  was  well  adapted  to  the  occasion. 

"  Dear  friends  and  brethren  in  Christ  Jesus, 

"  Whom  the  Lord  by  his  eternal  arm  and  power  hath  pre- 


398  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

served  to  this  day,  all  walk  in  the  power  and  spirit  of  God, 
that  is  over  all,  in  love  and  unity ;  for  love  overcomes,  builds 
up,  and  unites  all  the  members  of  Christ  to  him  the  Head. 
Love  keeps  out  of  all  strife,  and  is  of  God.  Love,  or  charity, 
never  fails,  but  keeps  the  mind  above  all  outward  things,  and 
strife  about  outward  things.  It  overcomes  evil,  and  casts  out 
all  false  fears.  It  is  of  God,  and  unites  all  the  hearts  of  his 
people  together  in  the  heavenly  joy,  concord,  and  unity.  The 
God  of  love  preserve  you  all,  and  establish  you  in  Christ 
Jesus,  your  life  and  salvation,  in  whom  you  have  peace  with 
God.  So  walk  in  him  that  ye  may  be  ordered  in  his  peace- 
able heavenly  wisdom,  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  comfort 
one  of  another,  Amen. 

GEORGE  Fox. 

"  London,  the  27th  of  the  3d  month,  1689." 

In  1690,  he  attended,  for  the  last  time,  the  Yearly  Meeting 
of  London,  "in  which,"  he  says,  "the  wonted  goodness  of 
the  Lord  was  witnessed,  his  blessed  presence  enjoyed,4  and  his 
heavenly  power  livingly  felt  opening  the  hearts  of  his  people." 
Being  deeply  concerned  for  the  preservation  of  Friends,  and 
their  growth  in  the  spiritual  life,  he  furnished  an  instructive 
supplement,  to  be  added  to  the  Yearly  Meeting's  epistle.  The 
concluding  paragraph  is  in  these  words : 

"  And  now,  dear  friends  and  brethren  everywhere,  that  are 
of  the  flock  of  Christ :  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for 
us.  Therefore  let  us  all  keep  this  heavenly  feast  of  our  pass- 
over  in  his  new  testament  and  covenant,  not  with  old  leaven, 
neither  of  malice  nor  wickedness ;  but  let  all  that  be  purged 
out,  with  the  sour  old  leavened  bread ;  that  all  may  become  a 
new  lump :  and  so  keep  this  heavenly  feast  of  Christ,  our 
heavenly  passover,  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and 
truth.  Amen." 

During  the  summer,  he  visited  several  meetings  in  the  vici- 
nity of  London,  in  which  he  was  favoured,  through  divine  aid, 
to  impart  much  religious  instruction.  In  the  autumn  he  re- 
turned to  the  city,  where  he  remained  more  than  a  month, 


EPISTLE   TO   FRIENDS   IN   THE   MINISTRY.  399 

employed  in  the  weighty  concerns  of  the  church.  There 
being  at  this  time  a  bill  before  Parliament  concerning  oaths, 
and  another  relating  to  clandestine  marriages,  he  was  engaged, 
with  others,  in  waiting  upon  members  of  the  House,  in  order 
to  have  these  bills  so  amended  that  they  might  not  be  preju- 
dicial to  Friends. 

This  service  being  ended,  he  retired  to  the  country,  and 
spent  some  weeks  at  Tottenham,  Ford-green,  and  other  neigh- 
bouring places,  visiting  Friends.  While  thus  engaged,  he 
wrote  "  A  testimony  concerning  the  life  and  death  of  hia  dear 
friend  and  brother  in  the  Lord,  John  Burnyeat,"  of  whom  he 
speaks  as  "  an  able  minister  of  Christ  Jesus,"  ..."  an  elder 
and  a  pillar  in  the  house  of  God."  This  eminent  man  was 
convinced  of  Friends'  principles  in  Cumberland,  in  1653; 
and  after  travelling  much  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  Great 
Britain,  and  her  American  colonies,  he  settled  in  Dublin, 
where  his  gospel  labours,  and  holy  life,  rendered  him  a  bless- 
ing to  the  church.  In  great  peace  of  mind,  he  closed  his  life 
in  Ireland,  on  the  llth  of  the  7th  month,  1690,  in  the  59th 
year  of  his  age.* 

While  at  Tottenham,  George  Fox  wrote  an  epistle  to  Friends 
in  the  ministry,  in  which  he  says : 

"All  Friends  in  the  ministry  every  where,"  .  .  .  "do  not 
hide  your  talent,  nor  put  your  light  under  a  bushel;  nor 
cumber  yourselves,  nor  entangle  yourselves  with  the  affairs  of 
this  world.  For  the  natural  soldiers  are  not  to  cumber  them- 
selves with  the  world ;  much  less  the  soldiers  of  Christ,  who 
are  not  of  this  world ;  but  are  to  mind  the  riches  and  glory 
of  the  world  that  is  everlasting.  Therefore  stir  up  the  gift 
of  God  in  you,  improve  it,  and  do  not  sit  down,  Demas-like, 
and  embrace  this  present  world,  that  will  have  an  end,  lest  ye 
become  idolaters.  Be  valiant  for  God's  truth  upon  the  earth, 
and  spread  it  abroad  in  the  daylight  of  Christ ;  you  who  have 
sought  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  righteousness  thereof, 
and  have  received  it  and  preached  it ;  which  stands  in  right- 

*  Testimony  of  Friends  in  Ireland,  in  J.  Burnyeat's  Works. 


400  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

eousness  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  able 
ministers  of  the  spirit  sow  to  the  spirit,  that  of  the  spirit  ye 
may  reap  life  everlasting." 

He  wrote,  soon  after,  another  epistle,  addressed  more  par- 
ticularly "to  Friends  in  the  ministry  that  were  gone  to 
America." 

The  following  passage,  selected  from  it,  is  worthy  of  note : 

"And  Friends,  be  not  negligent,  but  keep  your  negroes' 
meetings,  and  your  family  meetings ;  and  have  meetings  with 
the  Indian  kings,  and  their  councils  and  subjects  every  where, 
and  with  others.  Bring  them  all  to  the  baptizing  and  circum- 
cizing  spirit,  byj  which  they  may  know  God,  and  serve  and 
worship  him.  And  all  take  heed  of  sitting  down  in  the  earth, 
and  having  your  minds  in  the  earthly  things,  coveting  and 
striving  for  the  earth:  for  to  be  carnally  minded  brings  death, 
and  covetousness  is  idolatry.  There  is  too  much  strife  and 
contention  about  that  idol,  which  makes  too  many  go  out  of 
the  sense  and  fear  of  God ;  so  that  some  have  lost  morality, 
humanity,  and  true  Christian  charity.  0  therefore,  be  awa- 
kened to  righteousness,  and  keep  awakened ;  for  the  enemy 
soweth  his  tares,  while  men  and  women  sleep  in  carelessness 
and  security." 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  10th  month,  he  returned  to  the 
city,  where,  being  deeply  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  hard- 
ships endured  by  Friends  in  Ireland,  and  the  danger  they  in- 
curred by  reason  of  the  civil  war  then  prevailing  in  that 
country,  he  wrote  them  a  letter  of  sympathy  and  encourage- 
ment, which  was  the  last  production  of  his  pen,  and  is  dated 
the  10th  of  the  llth  month,  1690. 

Up  to  this  time,  he  had  kept  his  own  Journal,  which  is 
continued  by  William  Penn  in  these  words : 

"  Thus,  reader,  thou  hast  some  account  of  the  life  and 
travels,  labours,  sufferings,  and  manifold  trials  and  exercises 
of  this  holy  man  of  God,  from  his  youth  to  almost  the  time 
of  his  death :  of  which  himself  kept  a  Journal,  whence  the 
foregoing  sheets  were  transcribed.  It  remains  that  an  account 


HIS   LAST   ILLNESS,   AND   DEATH.  401 

be  added  of  the  time,  place,  and  manner  of  his  death  and 
burial,  which  was  thus : 

"  The  next  day  after  he  had  written  the  foregoing  epistle  to 
Friends  in  Ireland,  he  went  to  the  meeting  at  Grace-church 
street,  which  was  large  (it  being  on  the  First-day  of  the 
week) :  and  the  Lord  enabled  him  to  preach  the  truth  fully 
and  effectually,  opening  many  deep '  and  weighty  things  with 
great  power  and  clearness.  After  which,  having  prayed,  and 
the  meeting  being  ended,  he  went  to  Henry  Gouldney's  (a 
Friend's  house  in  Whitehart  Court,  near  the  meeting-house) : 
and  some  Friends  going  with  him,  he  told  them,  '  He  thought 
he  felt  the  cold  strike  to  his  heart  as  he  came  out  of  the 
meeting ;'  yet  added,  'I  am  glad  I  was  here ;  now  I  am  clear, 
I  am  fully  clear.'  As  soon  as  those  Friends  were  withdrawn, 
he  laid  down  upon  a  bed,  (as  he  sometimes  used  to  do,  through 
weariness  after  a  meeting,)  but  soon  rose  again ;  and  in  a 
little  time  laid  down  again,  complaining  still  of  cold.  And 
his  strength  sensibly  decaying,  he  was  fain,  soon  after,  to  go 
into  the  bed,  where  he  lay  in  much  contentment  and  peace, 
and  very  sensible  to  the  last.  And  as,  in  the  whole  course 
of  his  life,  his  spirit,  in  the  universal  love  of  God,  was  set 
and  bent  for  the  exalting  of  truth  and  righteousness,  and  the 
making  known  the  way  thereof  to  the  nations  and  people 
afar  off;  so  now,  in  the  time  of  his  outward  weakness,  his 
mind  was  intent  upon,  and  wholly  taken  up  with  that;  and  he 
sent  for  some  particular  Friends,  to  whom  he  expressed  his 
mind  and  desire  for  the  spreading  of  Friends'  books,  and 
truth  thereby,  in  the  world.  Divers  Friends  came  to  visit 
him  in  his  illness,  unto  some  of  whom  he  said,  '  All  is  well ; 
the  seed  of  God  reigns  over  all,  and  over  death  itself.  And 
though,'  said  he,  '  I  am  weak  in  body,  yet  the  power  of  God  is 
over  all,  and  the  seed  reigns  over  all  disorderly  spirits.'  Thus, 
lying  in  an  heavenly  frame  of  mind,  his  spirit  wholly  exer- 
cised towards  the  Lord,  he  grew  weaker  and  weaker  in  his 
natural  strength ;  and  on  the  Third-day  of  that  week,  between 
the  hours  of  nine  and  ten  in  the  evening,  he  quietly  departed 
26 


402  LIFE   OF   GEORGE  FOX. 

this  life  in  peace,  and  sweetly  fell  asleep  in  the  Lord,  whose 
blessed  truth  he  had  livingly  and  powerfully  preached  in  the 
meeting  hut  two  days  hefore.  Thus  ended  he  his  day  in  his 
faithful  testimony,  in  perfect  love  and  unity  with  his  breth- 
ren, and  in  peace  and  good-will  to  all  men,  on  the  13th  of 
the  llth  month,  1690,  being  then  in  the  67th  year  of  his 
age." 

The  duty  of  communicating  the  mournful  event  to  the 
widow,  who  was  then  in  Lancashire,  devolved  upon  William 
Penn.  "  I  am,"  he  says,  "to  be  the  teller  to  thee  of  sorrow- 
ful tidings  in  some  respect,  which  is  this :  that  thy  dear  hus- 
band, and  my  beloved  and  dear  friend,  finished  his  glorious 
testimony  this  night,  about  half  an  hour  after  nine,  being 

sensible  to  the  last  breath." "A  prince  indeed  is 

fallen  in  Israel  to-day.  He  died  as  he  lived,  a  lamb  minding 
the  things  of  God  and  his  church  to  the  last  in  an  universal 
spirit." 

His  funeral  was  a  season  of  great  solemnity.  During 
nearly  three  days,  the  coffin  was  kept  open,  and  many  hun- 
dreds of  Friends  came  to  look  upon  the  corpse,  which  appeared 
as  though  he  had  fallen  into  a  sweet  sleep.*  On  the  16th  of 
the  month,  the  day  appointed  for  interment,  a  great  concourse 
of  Friends  and  others  assembled  at  the  meeting-house  in 
Grace-church  street,  whither  the  body  had  been  taken. 

A  solemn  meeting  was  held  about  two  hours,  and  several 
Friends  in  the  ministry,  among  whom  was  William  Penn, 
spoke  most  feelingly  of  the  deceased, — bearing  testimony  to 
his  innocent  life,  his  unwearied  labours  of  love  in  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  his  manifold  sufferings  for  the  truth,  and  to  the  all- 
sufficiency  of  the  power  of  God,  to  whom  alone  he  ascribed 
his  preservation.  The  six  monthly  meetings  in  London  had 
each  appointed  six  Friends  to  bear  the  body  to  the  grave,  and 
the  procession  which  followed  was  variously  estimated  at  from 
two  to  four  thousand  persons. 

He  was  interred  at  Friends'  burying-ground,  near  Bunhil) 

*  See  Barclay's  Letters  of  Early  Friends,  Lib.  XI.  p.  387-9. 


MARGARET  FOX.  403 

fields,  where,  after  a  time  of  solemn  silence,  several  ministers 
spoke  impressively  on  the  sufficiency  of  that  divine  spirit  and 
power  by  which  this  extraordinary  man  had  been  raised  up 
and  qualified  to  fulfil  the  work  assigned  him  by  the  great 
Head  of  the  church. 

Margaret  Fox,  although  ten  years  older  than  her  husband, 
survived  him  eleven  years,  during  which  she  continued  to 
reside  at  Swarthmore-hall.  It  appears  from  the  letters  of 
some  of  the  most  distinguished  among  the  early  Friends,  that 
she  Avas  much  beloved  and  honoured  for  her  eminent  virtues 
and  her  efficient  services  in  the  church. 

During  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  she  was  often  engaged  in 
personal  applications  to  the  king,  for  the  release  of  her  impris- 
oned Friends,  a  service  for  which  she  was  well  adapted,  by  her 
soundness  of  judgment  and  dignity  of  character.  She  was  a 
devoted  minister  of  the  gospel,  a  firm  supporter  of  Christian 
discipline,  diligent  in  visiting  the  sick  and  the  imprisoned, 
hospitable  in  entertaining  strangers,  and  judicious  in  the  edu- 
cation of  her  children. 

As  the  close  of  life  drew  Jfigh,  she  was  comforted  with  the 
full  assurance  of  divine  favour,  saying  to  a  Friend  who  called 
to  see  her,  "  The  Lord  is  with  me,  and  I  am  with  the  Lord, 
and  in  Him  only  will  I  trust,  and  commit  all  to  the  divine 
providence  of  the  Lord,  both  concerning  my  children  and 
grandchildren,  and  all  things  they  do  enjoy  from  Him,  both 
in  spirituals  and  naturals,  who  is  the  God  of  all  the  mercies 
and  blessings  to  his  people,  throughout  all  generations  !  To 
him  be  glorious  praises  forever.  Amen."  * 

She  died  at  Swarthmore-hall,  in  Lancashire,  the  22d  of  the 
2d  month,  1702,  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  her  age. 

*  Life  of  M.  Fell. 


404  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Personal  appearance — Dress —  Property  —  Character  —  Ministry — the 
early  Friends — Statistics  of  the  Society — Conclusion. 

GEORGE  Fox  was  rather  above  the  common  stature.  In 
early  manhood,  he  was  robust  and  active  ;  as  he  advanced  in 
years,  his  figure  inclined  to  corpulency. 

His  eyes  were  gray,  and  piercing,  his  countenance  was  grace- 
ful, his  deportment  grave.* 

In  conversation  he  was  instructive  and  courteous,  and  his 
manners,  as  described  by  William  Penn,  were  "  civil  beyond 
all  forms  of  breeding."  Hence,  we  may  conclude,  he  was 
endowed  with  that  true  courtesy,  which  springs  from  kindness 
of  heart,  and  a  just  appreciation  of  the  rights  and  feelings  of 
others, — a  politeness,  that  far  transcends  all  the  forms  of 
etiquette. 

His  dress  was  simple  and  substantial ;  being  a  plain  gray 
coat,  with  alchemy  buttons, f  and,  during  the  early  part  of  his 
ministry,  he  wore  breeches  of  leather,  or  buckskin. 

It  appears  that  he  inherited  some  property,  a  part  of  which 
he  left  in  the  hands  of  his  relatives,  not  being  inclined  to  in- 
cumber  himself  with  it,  after  he  became  concerned  in  the  gos- 
pel ministry. J 

His  continual  religious  engagements,  in  a  great  measure, 
precluded  him  from  pursuing  any  regular  secular  employ- 
ment ;  but  his  manner  of  living,  being  plain  and  unexpensive, 
he  had  the  means,  not  only  to  supply  his  own  wants,  but  to 
minister  to  the  comfort  of  others.  We  have  seen,  that  on  his 
marriage  with  the  widow  of  Judge  Fell,  he  secured  his  wife's 
estate  to  her  and  her  children,  being  scrupulously  careful  not 

*  T.  Ellwood's  Testimony,  William  Penn'a  Preface,  Tuke's  Memoir 
of  George  Fox,  &c. 

t  Journal ;  Clarkson's  Portraiture  of  Quakerism. 

J  Anti-Christian  Treachery  discovered, — English  Ed.  1686,  p.  129. 


PENN'S  CHARACTER  OF  FOX.  405 

to  enrich  himself  by  it.  "From  an  account  which  he  left 
behind  him,  it  appears  that  he  held  shares  of  two  vessels, 
belonging  to  Scarborough,  and  had  also  a  small  share  in  some 
business.  Several  sums  of  money  belonging  to  him  are  like- 
wise mentioned,  as  being  in  the  hands  of  different  Friends," 
and  the  amount  of  his  property  has  been  estimated  at  about 
eight  hundred  pounds  sterling,  exclusive  of  one  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  Pennsylvania,  presented  to  him  by  William 
Penn.*  The  title  to  this  land  he  gave  to  the  meetings  of 
Friends  in  that  province,  but  it  was  not  located  till  after  his 
death,  f 

His  character,  having  been  drawn  by  the  masterly  hand  of 
William  Penn,  who  was  long  and  intimately  acquainted  with 
him,  cannot  be  better  described  than  by  quoting  his  language. 

"  I.  He  was  a  man  that  God  endowed  with  a  clear  and 
wonderful  depth,  a  discerner  of  others'  spirits  and  very  much 
a  master  of  his  own.  And  though  the  side  of  his  under- 
standing, which  lay  next  to  the  world,  and  especially  the  ex- 
pression of  it,  might  sound  uncouth  and  unfashionable  to  nice 
ears,  his  matter  was  nevertheless  ve'ry  profound,  and  would 
not  only  bear  to  be  often  considered,  but  the  more  it  was  so, 
the  more  weighty  and  instructing  it  appeared.  And  as 
abruptly  and  brokenly,  as  sometimes  his  sentences  would  fall 
from  him,  about  divine  things,  it  is  well  known  they  were 
often  as  texts  to  many  fairer  declarations.  And  indeed  it 
showed  beyond  all  contradiction  that  God  sent  him,  that  no 
arts  or  parts  had  any  share  in  the  matter  or  manner  of  his 
ministry,  and  that  so  many  great,  excellent,  and  necessary 
truths  as  he  came  forth  to  preach  to  mankind,  had  therefore 
nothing  of  man's  wit  or  wisdom  to  recommend  them.  So  that 
as  to  man  he  was  an  original,  being  no  man's  copy.  And  his 
ministry  and  writings  show  they  are  from  one  that  was  not 
taught  of  man,  nor  had  learned  what  he  said  by  study.  Nor 

*  Tuke's  Memoir  of  George  Fox,  p.  307. 
f  Jannej's  Life  of  Penn,  chap.  XXXIV. 


LIFE   OF   GEORGE    FOX. 

were  they  notional  or  speculative,  but  sensible  and  practical 
truths,  tending  to  conversion  and  regeneration,  and  the  set- 
ting up  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and  the 
way  of  it  was  his  work.  So  that,  I  have  many  times  been 
overcome  in  myself,  and  been  made  to  say  with  my  Lord  and 
master,  upon  the  like  occasion,  '  I  thank  thee,  0  Father,  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent  of  this  world,  and  revealed  them  to  babes ;' 
for  many  times  hath  my  soul  bowed  in  humble  thankfulness 
to  the  Lord,  that  he  did  not  choose  any  of  the  wise  and 
learned  of  this  world,  to  be  the  first  messenger  in  our  age, 
of  his  blessed  truth  to  men  ;  but  that  he  took  one  that  was 
not  of  high  degree  or  elegant  speech,  or  learned  after  the 
way  of  this  world,  that  his  message  and  work  he  sent  him 
to  do  might  come  with  less  suspicion  or  jealousy  of  human 
wisdom  and  interest,  and  with  more  force  and  clearness,  upon 
the  consciences  of  those  that  sincerely  sought  the  way  of  truth 
in  the  love  of  it.  I  say,  beholding  with  the  eye  of  my  mind, 
which  the  God  of  heaven  had  opened  in  me,  the  marks  of 
God's  finger  and  hand,  visibly  in  this  testimony  from  the 
clearness  of  the  principle,  the  power  and  efficacy  of  it  in  the 
exemplary  sobriety,  plainness,  zeal,  steadiness,  humility,  gra- 
vity, punctuality,  charity  and  circumspect  care  in  the  govern- 
ment of  church  affairs,  which  shined  in  his  and  their  life,  and 
testimony  that  God  employed  in  this  work,  it  greatly  con- 
firmed me  that  it  was  of  God,  and  engaged  my  soul  in  a  deep 
love,  fear,  reverence,  and  thankfulness,  for  his  love  and  mercy 
therein  to  mankind 

"II.  In  his  testimony  or  ministry,  he  much  laboured  to 
open  truth  to  the  people's  understandings,  and  to  bottom  them 
upon  the  principle  and  principal,  Christ  Jesus,  the  light  of 
the  world,  that  by  bringing  them  to  something  that  was  of 
God  in  themselves,  they  might  the  better  know  and  judge 
of  him  and  themselves. 

"  He  had  an  extraordinary  gift  in  opening  the  scriptures. 
He  would  go  to  the  marrow  of  things,  and  show  the  mind, 


PENN'S  CHARACTER  OF  FOX.  407 

harmony,  and  fulfilling  of  them  with  much  plainness,  and  to 
great  comfort  and  edification.  The  mystery  of  the  first  and 
second  Adam,  of  the  fall  and  restoration,  of  the  law  and 
gospel,  of  shadow  and  substance,  of  the  servant's  and  son's 
state,  and  the  fulfilling  the  scriptures  in  Christ  and  by  Christ, 
the  true  light,  in  all  that  are  his,  through  the  obedience  of 
faith,  were  much  of  the  substance  and  drift  of  his  testimonies. 
In  all  which  he  was  witnessed  to  be  of  God,  being  sensibly 
felt  to  speak  that  which  he  had  received  of  Christ,  and  was 
his  own  experience  in  that  which  never  errs  nor  fails. 

"  But  above  all  he  excelled  in  prayer.  The  inwardness  and 
weight  of  his  spirit,  the  reverence  and  solemnity  of  his  ad- 
dress and  behaviour,  and  the  fewness  and  fulness  of  his  words, 
have  often  struck  even  strangers  with  admiration,  as  they  used 
to  reach  others  with  consolation.  The  most  awful,  living, 
reverent  frame  I  ever  felt  or  beheld,  I  must  say,  was  his  in 
prayer.  And  truly  it  was  a  testimony  he  knew  and  lived 
nearer  to  the  Lord  than  other  men ;  for  they  that  know  him 
most,  will  see  most  reason  to  approach  him  with  reverence 
and  fear. 

"  He  was  of  an  innocent  life,  no  busy-body  nor  self-seeker, 
neither  touchy  nor  critical ;  what  fell  from  him  was  very  in- 
offensive, if  not  very  edifying.  So  meek,  contented,  modest, 
easy,  steady,  tender,  it  was  a  pleasure  to  be  in  his  company. 
He  exercised  no  authority  but  over  evil,  and  that  everywhere 
and  in  all ;  but  with  love,  compassion,  and  long-suffering ;  a 
most  merciful  man,  as  ready  to  forgive,  as  unapt  to  take  or 
give  an  offence.  Thousands  can  truly  say,  he  was  of  an 
excellent  spirit  and  savour  among  them,  and  because  thereof 
the  most  excellent  spirits  loved  him  with  an  unfeigned  and 
unfading  love."  .... 

"  But  as  in  the  primitive  times,  some  rose  up  against  the 
blessed  apostles  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  even  from  among 
those  that  had  been  turned  to  the  hope  of  the  gospel,  and  who 
became  their  greatest  trouble,  so  this  man  of  God  had  his 
share  of  suffering  from  some  that  were  convinced  by  him,  who, 


408  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

through  prejudice  or  mistake,  ran  against  him,  as  one  that 
sought  dominion  over  conscience ;  because  he  pressed,  by  his 
presence  or  epistles,  a  ready  and  zealous  compliance  with  such 
good  and  wholesome  things  as  tended  to  an  orderly  conversa- 
tion about  the  affairs  of  the  church,  and  in  their  walking 
before  men.  That  which  contributed  much  to  this  ill  work, 
was,  in  some,  a  begrudging  of  this  meek  man  the  love  and 
esteem  he  had  and  deserved  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and 
weakness  in  others,  that  were  taken  with  their  groundless 

suggestions  of  imposition  and  blind  obedience." 

"  In  all  these  occasions,  though  there  was  no  person  the 
discontented  struck  so  sharply  at  as  this  good  man,  he  bore 
all  their  weakness  and  prejudice,  and  returned  not  reflection 
for  reflection ;  but  forgave  them  their  weak  and  bitter  speeches, 
praying  for  them,  that  they  might  have  a  sense  of  their  hurt, 
and  see  the  subtlety  of  the  enemy,  to  rend  and  divide,  and 
return  into  their  first  love,  that  thought  no  ill.  And  truly 
I  must  say,  that  though  God  had  visibly  clothed  him  with  a 
divine  preference  and  authority,  and  indeed  his  very  presence 
expressed  a  religious  majesty,  yet  he  never  abused  it,  but  held 
his  place  in  the  church  of  God  with  great  meekness,  and  a 
most  engaging  humility  and  moderation.  For,  upon  all  occa- 
sions, like  his  blessed  master,  he  was  a  servant  to  all,  holding 
and  exercising  his  eldership  in  the  invisible  power  that  had 
gathered  them,  with  reverence  to  the  head,  and  care  over  the 
body,  and  was  received  only  in  that  spirit  and  power  of  Christ, 
as  the  first  and  chief  elder  in  this  age ;  who,  as  he  was  there- 
fore worthy  of  double  honour,  so,  for  the  same  reason,  it  was 
given  by  the  faithful  of  this  day ;  because  his  authority  was 
inward,  and  not  outward,  and  that  he  got  it  and  kept  it  by 
the  love  of  God,  and  power  of  an  endless  life.  I  write  by 
knowledge,  and  not  report,  and  my  witness  is  true,  having 
been  with  him  for  weeks  and  months  together  on  divers  occa- 
sions, and  those  of  the  nearest  and  most  exercising  nature, 
and  that  by  night  and  by  day,  by  sea  and  by  land,  in  this 
and  in  foreign  countries :  and  I  oan  say  I  never  saw  him 


ELLWOOD'S  ESTIMATE  OF  FOX.  .     409 

out  of  his  place,  or  not  a  match  for  every  service  or  occa- 
sion. 

"  For  in  all  things  he  acquitted  himself  like  a  man,  yea  a 
strong  man,  a  new  and  heavenly-minded  man.  A  divine  and 
a  naturalist,  and  all  of  God  Almighty's  making.  I  have  been 
surprised  at  his  questions  and  answers  in  natural  things,  that 
whilst  he  was  ignorant  of  useless  and  sophistical  sciencej  he 
had  in  him  the  foundation  of  useful  and  commendable  know%- 
ledge,  and  cherished  it  every  where.  Civil  beyond  all  forms 
of  breeding  in  his  behaviour ;  very  temperate,  eating  little 
and  sleeping  less,  though  a  bulky  person. 

"  Thus  he  lived  and  sojourned  among  us ;  and  as  he  lived  so 
he  died,  feeling  the  same  eternal  power  that  had  raised  and 
preserved  him  in  his  last  moments.  So  full  of  assurance  was 
he,  that  he  triumphed  over  death ;  and  so  even  to  the  last, 
as  if  death  were  hardly  worth  notice  or  mention  :  recommend- 
ing to  some  with  him  the  despatch  and  dispersion  of  an  epistle 
just  before  written  to  the  churches  of  Christ  throughout  the 
world,  and  his  own  books ;  but  above  all,  Friends,  and  of  all 
Friends  those  in  Ireland  and  America,  twice  over :  saying, 
'  Mind  poor  Friends  in  Ireland  and  America.'  And  to  some 
that  came  in  and  inquired  how  he  found  himself,  he  answered, 
'Never  heed,  the  Lord's  power  is  over  all  weakness  and 
death,  the  Seed  reigns,  blessed  be  the  Lord.' >: 

Among  a  large  number  of  contemporary  testimonies  to  the 
exalted  virtues  and  rare  endowments  of  George  Fox,  which 
might  be  cited,  that  of  Thomas  Ellwood,  who  certainly  was  a 
competent  judge,  is  particularly  full  as  to  the  purity  of  his 
life,  the  meekness  of  his  character,  and  the  baptizing  power 
of  his  ministry. 

Beino-  endowed  by  Divine  Wisdom  with  a  remarkable  gift 

O  v 

of  discernment,  he  was  enabled  to  speak  to  the  states  of  his 
auditors,  "rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth."  An  instance 
of  this  was  related  by  an  aged  female  Friend,  in  these  words : 
"  And  now,  Friends,  I  will  tell  you  how  I  was  first  convinced. 
I  was  a  young  lass  at  that  time,  and  lived  in  Dorsetshire, 


410        .  LIFE   OP   GEORGE   FOX. 

when  George  Fox  came  to  that  country ;  and  he  having 
appointed  a  meeting  to  which  people  generally  flocked,  I  went 
among  the  rest ;  and  in  my  going  along  the  road,  the  query 
arose  in  my  mind,  what  is  it  that  I  feel  which  condemneth  me 
when  I  do  evil,  and  justifieth  me  when  I  do  well  ?  what  is  it  ? 
In  this  state  I  went  to  the  meeting.  It  was  a  large  gathering, 
and-  George  Fox  rose  up  with  these  words :  '  Who  art  thou  that 
queriest  in  thy  mind,  what  is*  it  which  I  feel,  which  con- 
demneth me  when  I  do  evil,  and  justifieth  me  when  I  do  well  ? 
I  will  tell  thee  what  it  is.  Lo !  he  that  formeth  the  moun- 
tains and  createth  the  wind,  and  declareth  unto  man  what  is 
his  thought ;  that  maketh  the  morning  darkness,  and  treadeth 
upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth ;  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
hosts,  is  his  name.  It  is  he  by  his  spirit  that  condemneth 
thee  for  evil,  and  justifieth  thee  when  thou  doest  well.  Keep 
under  its  dictates,  and  it  will  be  thy  preserver  to  the  end." 
To  this  narration  the  ancient  Friend  added,  "It  was  the 
truth,  the  very  truth,  and  1  have  never  departed  from 
it." 

His  kindness  and  condescension  to  the  young,  may  be  illus- 
trated by  the  following  passage  from  the  testimony  of  John 
Taylor :  "  The  Lord  did  wonderfully  appear  with  him,  for  the 
gathering  of  people  to  himself,  having  given  him  the  word  of 
reconciliation  to  preach  to  the  poor  and  needy,  whereof  I  am 
a  living  witness.  When  I  first  went  to  him,  he  treated  me  in 
meekness  like  a  lamb ;  he  took  me  by  the  hand  and  said, 
*  Young  man,  this  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  thee,  there  are 
three  scriptures  thou  must  witness  to  be  fulfilled ;  first,  thou 
must  be  turned  from  darkness  to  light ;  next,  thou  must  come 
to  the  knowledge  $f  the  glory  of  God ;  and  then,  thou  must 
be  changed  from  glory  to  glory  ;'  and  this  had  such  an  impres- 
sion on  on  me,  that  I  was  fully  satisfied  he  was  sent  of  God, 
and  the  word  of  life  was  with  him ;  and  what  he  said  unto  me 
was  more  effectual  than  all  that  I  had  ever  heard  from  all  my 
teachers  before,  to  the  settling  and  confirming  me  in  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ;  and  I  praised  the  Lord  that  sent  this  his 


HIS   PROMINENT   CHARACTERISTIC.  411 

faithful  witness  with  the  gospel  of  peace  and  glad  tidings  to 
my  soul." 

In  his  ministry  and  in  his  writings,  he  was  remarkable  for 
his  frequent  reference  to  the  scriptures,  which  he  was  enabled, 
through  divine  grace,  to  expound  clearly,  and  to  apply  perti- 
nently to  every  subject  that  came  before  him.  These  sacred 
records  he  considered  of  inestimable  value,  and  he  recom- 
mended their  frequent  perusal ;  for,  when  read  with  the  mind 
turned  towards  Him  who  "  hath  the  key  of  David,"  they  "  are 
able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith,  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus." 

In  all  the  relations  of  domestic  life,  his  conduct  was  con 
formed  to  the  Christian  standard.  His  widow,  in  her  testimony 
concerning  him,  says,  he  was  not  a  man  of  this  world,  but 
chosen  out  of  it ;  and  his  step-children  have  left  on  record  an 
affectionate  tribute  to  his  memory. 

In  contemplating  the  career  of  this  extraordinary  man,  we 
cannot  fail  to  perceive  that  his  most  striking  characteristic 
was,  simple  obedience  to  manifested  duty ;  which,  happily,  is 
attainable  by  every  sincere  and  devoted  follower  of  the  Lamb. 
When  sent  forth  on  his  mission  of  love,  the  burden  of  his 
testimony  was,  that  Jesus  Christ  teaches  his  people  himself, 
through  the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  which  is  the  light  and  life 
of  the  regenerated  soul.  They  who  come  fully  under  the 
government  of  this  Heavenly  Power,  are  led  by  it  to  renounce 
the  glory  of  the  world  and  to  follow  the  footsteps  of  the  holy 
Redeemer. 

There  is  abundant  evidence  to  show  that  many  of  the  early 
Friends  attained  to  this  state,  and  became  as  lights  in  the 
world,  as  a  city  set  upon  a  hill,  that  could  not  be  hid.  It  has 
been  remarked  by  an  English  writer,  that  "  Quakeiism  is  dis- 
tinguished particularly  by  the  brevity  of  its  articles  of  faith, 
and  the  rigour  of  its  life.  The  merely  doctrinal  part  of  Qua- 
kerism consists  in  four  articles  only :  The  existence  of  God ; 
the  authenticity  of  the  scriptures ;  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  the  moral  code 


412  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

of  Quakerism  for  governing  the  conduct  of  its  members  makes 
the  most  direct  and  specific  war  on  the  great  besetting  evils 
of  life  and  society  that  has  ever  been  attempted.  Luxury  of 
every  kind  is  proscribed,  not  only  in  itself,  but  in  its  great 
consequences,  war  and  slavery ;  for  it  is  clear  that,  without  a 
desire  for  luxury,  neither  war  nor  slavery  could  arise."  .  .  . 
"  The  most  usual  objection  to  Quakerism  is,  that  it  is  by  far 
too  refined  and  spiritual  a  system  for  this  world.  But  its 
votaries  have  proved,  through  the  vicissitudes  of  two  centuries, 
that  it  is  eminently  calculated  to  make  men  happier,  wiser, 
and  better.  The  great  principles  which  the  early  apostles  of 
the  sect  were  the  first  to  introduce  successfully,  have  been 
adopted  by  thousands,  who  were  not  aware  to  what  source 
they  were  indebted  for  them.  These  principles  have  gained 
ground  rapidly,  and  must  continue  to  widen  their  dominion 
over  the  hearts  of  men  as  society  advances  towards  the  Chris- 
tian standard,  for  they  lie  at  the  very  foundation  of  all  true 
moral,  intellectual,  and  political  reforms."  * 

The  excellency  of  the  principles  held  by  the  Society  of 
Friends  being  now  generally  admitted,  the  inquiry  arises, 
"Has  it  increased  in  numbers?  Or  is  it,  as  some  have 
alleged,  in  a  state  of  decline,  and  destined  to  extinction?" 
A  brief  examination  of  this  question  may  not  be  inappro- 
priate. 

It  appears,  that  of  the  great  numbers  convinced  of  Friends' 
principles  through  the  ministry  of  Greorge  Fox  and  his  coad- 
jutors, there  were  many  who  did  not  become  members. f 
From  the  best  estimate  that  can  now  be  made,  it  is  believed 
that  in  1680,  being  ten  years  prior  to  the  death  of  Fox,  the 
Society,  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  numbered  40,000 
members. | 

We  have  no  means  of  estimating  the  number  in  the  Ameri- 
can colonies,  but  it  could  not  have  been  very  considerable,  aa 

*  Friends'  Review,  I.  358. 

f  Tuke's  Memoir  of  George  Fox — Preface. 

J  London  Friend,  1852. 


STATISTICS   RELATING   TO   FRIENDS.  413 

the  settlement  of  Pennsylvania  had  not  then  been  begun. 
The  meetings  of  Friends  in  Holland  and  Germany  were 
never  very  large,  and  it  would  probably  be  safe  to  estimate 
the  aggregate  number  of  Friends  in  all  parts  of  the  world, 
in  1680,  at  fifty  thousand.  During  the  subsequent  fifteen 
years,  no  less  than  ten  thousand  Friends  emigrated  from 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  settled  in  the  American  colo- 
nies. The  tide  of  emigration,  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
18th  century,  was  setting  in  the  same  direction,  and  even  at 
this  day  it  still  continues,  though  greatly  diminished,  as  regards 
the  Society  of  Friends. 

Owing  to  various  causes,  but  chiefly  to  emigration,  the 
number  of  members  in  Great  Britain  is  now  greatly  reduced, 
and  but  little  exceeds  eighteen  thousand ;  whereas  there  are, 
in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  from  one  hundred  and 
tAventy-five,  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  including  the 
two  main  branches,  or  separate  organizations,  into  which  the 
Society  is  unhappily  divided.*  Both  of  these  bodies  hold  the 
fundamental  principles  of  the  early  Friends;  acknowledge 
Fox,  Penn,  and  Barclay  as  standard  authorities,  support  the 
same  testimonies,  worship  in  the  same  mode,  and  maintain  the 
same  form  of  church  government. 

In  addition  to  the  numbers  above  stated,  there  are  many 
others  who  attend  the  meetings  of  Friends,  and  hold  the  same 
principles,  but  not  being  in  actual  membership,  are  not  in- 
cluded in  this  estimate. 

From  these  statistics  it  is  manifest,  that  the  Society  of 
Friends  has  not  diminished,  but  on  the  contrary  has  greatly 
increased,  during  the  two  centuries  of  its  existence.  It  is, 
moreover,  encouraging  to  reflect,  that  some  of  the  practical 
views  promulgated  by  George  Fox,  and  which  in  his  day  met 

*  The  London  "Friend,"  (1852,)  estimates  the  number  of  Friends 
in  the  United  States  at  131,200,  including  both  branches.  The  United 
States  census  of  1850,  reports  the  number  of  meeting-houses  belonging 
\n  friends  to  be  715,  affording  seats  for  283,000  persons  ;  but  the  num- 
ber of  members  is  not  given. 


414  LIFE   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 

with  general  opposition,  are  now  held  by  very  many  who  are 
in  no  wise  connected  with  the  Society  of  Friends ;  thus  show- 
ing that  the  same  Divine  Power,  which  called  him  to  the  great 
work  of  social  reformation,  is  operating  upon  the  hearts  of 
mankind,  perhaps  more  effectually  than  at  any  former 
period. 

There  is,  however,  no  reason  to  conclude  that  this  Society, 
if  it  live  up  to  its  principles,  will  be  less  useful  hereafter,  than 
it  has  been  in  past  ages.  There  is  still  a  vast  amount  of  false 
doctrine  and  useless  ceremony  in  professing  Christendom, — 
priest-craft  continues  to  exert  its  baneful  influence, — the  spirit 
of  war  is  yet  unsubdued, — oppression  invades  the  domestic 
hearth,  and  severs  the  dearest  ties  of  our  nature.  Is  it  a 
time  for  those  who  ought  to  be  the  successors  of  Fox  and 
Penn,  and  Barclay,  to  desert  the  standard  of  their  profession, 
and  go  back  to  the  world  ? 

If  all  who  profess  the  doctrines,  would  follow  the  example, 
of  the  early  Friends;  the  "stress  of  whose  ministry  was 
conversion  to  God,  regeneration  and  holiness ;  not  schemes 
of  doctrine  and  verbal  creeds,"*  then  would  we  see  in  our 
day,  a  revival  of  the  gospel  spirit,  and  Christian  zeal,  that 
actuated  those  sons  of  the  morning.  Then  would  there  be  a 
joining  of  hand  in  hand,  and  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in 
supporting  those  noble  testimonies  that  George  Fox  and  his 
coadjutors  so  faithfully  bore ;  then  would  the  Society  become 
instrumental  to  elevate  the  standard  of  Christian  truth,  and 
would  say  to  others  in  the  impressive  language  of  example, 
"  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife." 

*  William  Perm's  Preface  to  George  Fox's  Journal. 


THE     END. 


A  DISSERTATION 


VIEWS   OF   GEORGE  POX 


CONCERNING 


THE  DOCTRINES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


CONTENTS. 


Introductory  Remarks Page  415 

Immediate  Revelation 417 

The  Holy  Scriptures 418 

The  Father,  Word,  and  Holy  Spirit.  .  .  422 
The  Original  and  Present  State  of  Man  .  424 
The  Atonement  or  Reconciliation  .  .  .  426 


Letter  of  George  Fox  to  Governor  of  Bar- 

badoes 431 

Summary 436 

Perfection 440 

Baptism 441 

The  Lord's  Supper 448 


A  DISSERTATION  ON  THE   DOCTRINAL  VIEWS  OF 
GEORGE  FOX. 

THE  religion  of  George  Fox  and  the  early  Friends  was,  in  their  view, 
a  revival  of  primitive  Christianity.  They  professed  to  teach  no  new 
doctrines.  Having  experienced  in  themselves  the  saving  efficacy  of 
Divine  grace,  their  minds  were  enlightened  by  this  holy  influence, 
which  they  found  to  be  a  more  sure  reliance  than  the  laborious  efforts 
of  human  wisdom. 

We  are  taught  by  universal  experience  that  the  reasoning  process 
cannot  originate  the  elements  of  knowledge,  either  in  natural  or  spiri- 
tual things.  An  acute  intellect  may  promote  knowledge  by  generalizing 
facts  observed,  and  drawing  conclusions  from  known  premises;  but  the 
basis  of  knowledge,  in  natural  things,  must  be  laid  by  observation  and 
experiment.  Hence  the  inductive  method  of  reasoning,  based  on 
observation,  and  applied  to  useful  purposes,  has  redeemed  philosophy 
from  the  visionary  theories  of  ancient  times,  and  made  it  subservient 
to  human  progress. 

The  insufficiency  of  human  reason  to  lay  the  foundations  of  spiritual 
knowledge,  is  still  more  apparent. 

(415) 


416  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

All  the  saving  knowledge  we  can  have  of  God,  and  of  duty,  and  the 
soul,  must  be  witnessed  in  our  own  interior  consciousness.  The  expe- 
rience of  others,  when  communicated  to  us,  may  direct  us  to  the  foun- 
tain whence  the  water  of  life  proceeds ;  but  we  cannot  participate 
in  its  healing  efficacy  by  their  experience ;  we  must  apply  in  prayer  to 
Him  whose  spirit  of  grace  will  be  "  in  us  a  well  of  water  springing  up 
into  everlasting  life."*  "And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And 
whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  f  This  fountain 
of  life  and  divine  knowledge  is  opened  in  every  sincere,  devoted  soul, 
"  Because  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  in  them,  for 
God  hath  showed  it  unto  them."  J 

Hence  we  find  that  the  Most  High,  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  "hath 
chosen  the  foolish  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise,  and  God 
hath  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  things  that 
are  mighty,"  .  .  .  "that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence." § 

As  in  the  first  promulgation  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  he  chose  poor 
fishermen  for  his  messengers,  so  in  the  revival  of  the  gospel  spirit 
among  the  primitive  Friends,  the  great  Head  of  the  church  made  use  of 
many  instruments  who  had  little  of  the  world's  wisdom  or  erudition  to 
recommend  them. 

The  account  which  William  Penn  gives  of  these  ministers,  in  his 
Preface  to  the  Journal  of  George  Fox,  is  worthy  of  especial  attention. 

He  says,  "they  were  changed  men  themselves  before  they  went  about  to 
change  others."  ....  "They  went  not  forth  or  preached  in  their  own  time 
or  will,  but  in  the  \vill  of  God,  and  spoke  not  their  own  studied  matter,  but 
as  they  were  opened  and  moved  of  his  spirit  with  which  they  were  well 
acquainted  in  their  own  conversions;"  ....  "The  bent  and  stress  of  their 
ministry  was  conversion  to  God,  regeneration  and  holiness;  not  schemes  of 
doctrines  and  verbal  creeds  or  new  forms  of  worship,  but  a  leaving  off  in 
religion  the  superfluous,  and  reducing  the  ceremonious  and  formal  part,  and 
pressing  earnestly  the  substantial,  the  necessary  and  profitable  part;  as  all 
upon  a  serious  reflection  must  and  do  acknowledge.  They  directed  people 
to  a  principle,  by  which  all  that  they  asserted,  preached,  and  exhorted 
others  to,  might  be  wrought  in  them,  and  known  through  experience  to  them 
to  be  true;  which  is  a  high  and  distinguishing  mark  of  the  truth  of  their 
ministry  ;  both  that  they  knew  what  they  said  and  were  not  afraid  of  coming 
to  the  test.  For  as  they  were  bold  from  certainty,  so  they  required  con- 
formity upon  no  human  authority,  but  upon  conviction,  and  the  conviction 
of  this  principle  which  they  asserted  was  in  them  that  they  preached  unto, 
and  unto  that  directed  them,  that  they  might  examine  and  prove  the  reality 
of  those  things  which  they  had  affirmed  of  it,  and  its  manifestation  and 
work  in  man. 

"They  reached  to  the  inward  state  and  condition  of  people,  which  is  an 
evidence  of  the  virtue  of  their  principle,  and  of  their  ministering  from  it, 
and  not  their  own  imaginations,  glosses,  or  comments  upon  scripture.  For 
nothing  reaches  the  heart  but  what  is  from  the  heart,  or  pierces  the  con- 

*  John  iv.  14.         f  Rev.  xxii.  17.         J  Rom.  i.  19.         §  I.  Cor.  i.  27,  29. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  417 

science  but  what  comes  from  a  living  conscience,  insomuch  as  it  hath  often 
happened,  where  people  have  under  secrecy  revealed  their  state  or  con- 
dition to  some  choice  friends  for  advice  or  ease,  they  had  been  so  particularly 
directed  in  the  ministry  of  this  people,  that  they  had  challenged  their  friends 
with  discovering  their  secrets  and  telling  the  preachers  their  cases ;  yea, 
the  very  thoughts  and  purposes  of  the  hearts  of  many  had  been  so  plainly 
detected,  that  they  have,  like  Nathaniel,  cried  out  of  this  inward  appear- 
ance of  Christ,  'Thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  thou  art  the  King  of  Israel.' 

"The  accomplishments  with  which  this  principle  fitted  even  some  of  the 
meanest  of  this  people  for  their  work  and  service,  furnishing  some  of  them 
with  an  extraordinary  understanding  in  divine  things,  and  an  admirable 
fluency  and  taking  way  of  expression,  which  gave  occasion  to  some  to 
wonder,  saying  of  them,  as  of  their  master,  'Is  not  this  such  a  mechanic's 
son?  how  came  he  by  this  learning?' 

"They  came  forth  low  and  despised  and  hated  as  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians did,  and  not  by  the  help  of  worldly  wisdom  or  power,  as  former  re- 
formations in  part  have  done;  but  in  all  things  it  may  be  said  this  people 
were  brought  forth  in  the  cross,  in  contradiction  to  the  ways,  worship, 
fashion,  and  customs  of  the  world,  yea,  against  wind  and  tide,  that  so  no 
flesh  might  glory  before  God/' 

This  portrait  of  the  primitive  Friends,  drawn  by  the  hand  of  a  master, 
is  especially  applicable  to  George  Fox. 

It  is  no  disparagement  to  his  ministry,  that  he  was  not  instructed  in 
scholastic  theology.  Such  an  education  would  have  only  obstructed  his 
progress,  by  piling  up  around  him  the  rubbish  of  centuries, — the  meta- 
physical subtleties  of  polemic  divinity, — all  of  which  it  would  have 
been  necessary  to  remove,  before  the  foundations  oould  be  laid  of  that 
pure,  simple,  sublime  faith,  which  rests  solely  on  the  revelation  of  God 
in  the  soul. 

IMMEDIATE     REVELATION. 

As  the  nature  of  the  outward  sun  can  only  be  known  through  the 
medium  of  its  light,  and  as  no  definitions  or  descriptions  can  give  an 
idea  of  light,  without  the  sense  of  vision,  so  it  is  manifest  that  God, 
who  is  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  cannot  be  made  known  by  mere 
definitions  or  logical  deductions. 

His  light, — his  grace, — the  power  of  his  eternal  word  shining  into 
the  soul, — can  alone  give  us  a  true  and  saving  knowledge  of  Him. 
This  great  truth  was  remarkably  exhibited  in  the  results  that  attended 
the  ministry  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Although  he  spake  as  never  man 
spake,  being  endowed  with  divine  wisdom  and  power,  through  the 
spirit  of  the  Father,  who  dwelt  in  him,  yet  none  received  his  ministry, 
save  those  who  were  obedient  to  the  inward  teachings  of  the  Spirit. 
"  No  man  can  come  to  me,"  he  said,  "  except  the  Father,  which  hath 
sent  me,  draw  him."* 

It  was  to  this  inward  living  power  which  draws  the  soul  to  God,  that 

*  John  vi.  44. 

27 


418  A   DISSERTATION    ON   THE 

George  Fox  appealed  continually,  and  the  burden  of  his  ministry  was, 
that  "  Jesus  Christ  teaches  his  people  himself." 

This  inward  teaching  through  the  immediate  revelation  of  divine 
grace,  was  then,  and  still  is,  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Society 
of  Friends.  But  they  distinguish  clearly  between  the  teacher  and  the 
recipient, — between  the  light  and  the  eye, — between  the  power  of  God  • 
and  the  conscience  of  man  in  which  it  is  revealed.  This  faculty  of  the 
soul  may  be 'clouded  by  prejudice,  benumbed  by  disobedience,  and  even 
"  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron,"*  by  long-continued  transgression  ;  but  the 
light  itself,  though  obscured,  or  lost  to  our  vision,  remains  ever  the 
same,  for  the  Divine  nature  is  unchangeable. 

THE    HOLV    SCRIPTURES. 

As  the  discoveries  of  Divine  Truth  in  every  age  must  be  consistent 
with  each  other,  though  varied  in  degree,  according  to  the  states  and 
capacities  of  the  people,  George  Fox  appealed  to  the  scriptures  for 
confirmation  of  the  doctrines  he  taught.  These  sacred  records  he  con- 
sidered of  inestimable  value,  but  susceptible  of  being  understood  by 
those  only  whose  minds  are  enlightened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  who 
have  experienced  in  themselves  something  of  those  spiritual  realities 
which  the  inspired  penmen  describe.f 

Although  he  did  not  call  the  scriptures  the  word  of  God,  because  this 
title  is  appropriated  by  the  sacred  writers  to  the  Son  of  God, — "  the 
word  that  was  in  the  beginning  with  God  and  was  God,"  yet  he 
believed  they  were  "  given  forth  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,"  and  "  are 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  and  for  instruction  in 
righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works."  J 

The  views  of  George  Fox  concerning  the  effect  of  Adam's  transgres- 
sion, and  the  Divinity,  atonement,  and  mediation  of  Christ,  having  been 
a  subject  of  controversy  with  some  who  profess  his  doctrines,  will  re- 
quire a  careful  and  unprejudiced  investigation.  In  order  to  arrive  at  a 
just  conclusion,  it  is  necessary  to  collate  a  large  number  of  his  doctri- 
nal and  controversial  works,  which,  with  his  Journal,  form  eight  octavo 
volumes.  Nor  can  we  enter  fully  into  this  subject  without  taking  some 
notice  of  the  doctrines  then  commonly  held  by  those  Protestant  sects 
with  whose  members  he  was  frequently  engaged  in  controversy,  because 
the  expressions  found  in  his  works  often  relate  to  those  opinions  which 
he  believed  it  his  duty  to  oppose. 

On  several  occasions,  he  gave  forth  declarations  of  his  faith,  to  refute 
the  slanders  of  his  enemies,  but  they  were  couched  in  scripture  lan- 

*  1  Tim.  iv.  2.  f  Works,  VI.  35.     Doctrinals,  743. 

J  Letter  to  Governor  of  Barbadoes. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  419 

guage,  and  the  question  still  recurs,  In  what  sense  did  he  understand 
the  texts  employed  ?  One  of  the  most  noted  of  these  declarations,  is 
his  letter  to  the  governor  and  council  of  Barbadoes,  which  is  chiefly  a 
collocation  of  scripture  phrases. 

This  letter  will  be  given  in  the  sequel,  and  placed  in  parallel  columns 
with  other  explanatory  passages,  selected  from  his  works,  in  order  that 
the  reader  may  judge  for  himself,  in  what  sense  George  Fox  understood 
the  passages  he  quoted. 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  all  who  read  his  works,  or  passages 
selected  from  them,  will  come  to  precisely  the  same  conclusions  with 
regard  to  his  doctrines.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  sacred  scriptures, 
from  which  quotations  are  constantly  made,  for  the  purpose  of  support- 
ing a  contrariety  of  opinions.  This  arises,  in  part,  from  the  circum- 
stance, that  for  the  full  development  of  a  great  truth,  it  is  sometimes 
necessary  to  present  it  under  different  aspects,  all  of  which  should  be 
taken  into  view,  in  order  to  obtain  a  clear  conception  of  it. 

One  set  of  scripture  texts  is  generally  quoted  by  trinitarian  writers, 
and  another  set  by  those  who  hold  the  opposite  doctrines ;  yet  each  may 
be  equally  sincere  in  thinking  he  holds  the  true  scriptural  doctrines, 
because  those  passages  which  express  his  own  views  are  most  familiar 
to  him,  and  he  overlooks  the  others,  or  construes  them  in  accordance 
with  his  pre-conceived  opinions. 

Like  persons  looking  at  a  landscape  from  different  standing  points, 
they  see  it  under  different  aspects  of  light  and  shade ;  and  objects  which 
are  conspicuous  to  one,  may  be  hidden  from  another. 

How  unwise  it  were,  in  this  case,  to  quarrel  with  our  neighbours,  or 
to  question  their  sincerity  !  If  we  cannot  change  our  standing-points 
so  as  to  survey  the  whole  ground,  we  ought  at  least  to  exercise  charity 
towards  others. 

Another  cause  of  religious  controversy  is  found  in  the  ambiguity  of 
language.  Few  words  have  a  meaning  so  definite  that  they  cannot  be 
misunderstood,  and  many  words  in  our  language  have  several  mean- 
ings. 

The  hearer  or  reader,  may  attach  to  them  a  signification,  entirely 
different  from  that  intended  by  the  speaker  or  writer.  Moreover,  we 
must  consider  that  words  are  but  symbols  or  signs  of  ideas,  which, 
being  held  up  before  us,  we  who  hear  or  read  them  must  find  in  ourselves 
or  elaborate  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed.  If  it  has  never  before 
been  conceived  in  us,  we  may  find  it  difficult  to  realize^  what  to  another 
mind  under  different  circumstances  would  be  perfectly  intelligible. 

There  is  yet  another,  and  a  principal  difficulty  in  dealing  with  those 
ideas  which  relate  to  the  being  of  God,  and  his  manifestations  to  man. 
It  is  impossible  for  a  finite  creature,  chiefly  conversant  with  the  objects 


420  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

of  sense,  to  comprehend  perfectly  the  being  and  attributes  of  an  infi- 
nite spirit. 

In  the  scriptures  of  Truth,  He  is  presented  to  us, — in  the  best  way 
perhaps  that  human  language  could  present  Him, —  under  various 
figures  or  symbols  borrowed  from  terrestrial  forms,  for  "  the  invisible 
things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being 
understood  by  the  things  that  are  made."* 

In  the  bold  imagery  of  oriental  poetry,  the  author  of  the  universe  is 
sometimes  represented,  as  a  conqueror  treading  down  his  enemies, — as 
a  tower  of  strength,  a  fortress  of  safety;  and  herein  is  signified  his 
infinite  power. 

Again,  he  appears  as  the  tender  parent  of  his  intelligent  creation, 
"a  father  of  the  fatherless,  and  a  judge  of  the  widow;"  a  shepherd 
that  leads  his  flock  in  the  green  pastures,  and  causes  them  to  lie  down 
by  the  still  waters  of  life, — symbols  which  beautifully  illustrate  his 
goodness  and  mercy.  He  is  even  represented  as  suffering  under  the 
infliction  of  evil ; — saying,  "  thou  hast  made  me  to  serve  with  thy  sins, 
thou  hast  wearied  me  with  thine  iniquities."! 

His  omnipresence  is  frequently  represented  under  the  most  sublime 
figures,  as  a  universal,  all-pervading  spirit,  whom  the  heaven  of  heavens 
cannot  contain ;  yet  he  is  said  to  dwell  in  the  human  soul,  and  to  make 
his  abode  in  the  contrite  heart. 

All  these  figures  are  truly  emblematic  in  the  sense  used  by  the 
writers,  and  yet  no  one  of  them,  taken  by  itself,  conveys  a  perfect 
idea  of  the  Deity. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  the  figurative  language,  used  to  describe 
the  character  and  offices  of  Christ,  in  the  work  of  man's  redemption. 
The  language  already  in  use  was  necessarily  employed,  and  the  terms 
derived  from  the  ceremonial  law  were  freely  used  in  describing  him, 
not  only  as  a  King  and  a  High  Priest,  a  shepherd,  and  a  bishop,  but 
as  a  "  lamb  slain," — a  "  passover  sacrificed  for  us," — and  a  spirit  of 
light  and  life  in  the  soul. 

These  figurative  expressions,  which,  to  the  captious  objector,  may 
appear  as  discrepancies,  present  no  real  difficulty  to  the  devout  Chris- 
tian. He  knows  that  the  Infinite  and  Eternal  cannot  be  comprised  in 
the  finite  and  the  transient.  He  seeks  not  for  a  knowledge  of  God  and 
of  Christ  in  the  formal  definitions  and  nice  distinctions  of  theology, 
but  finds  comfort  and  encouragement  in  the  glowing  language  of  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  who  wrote  from  a  heavenly  impulse,  and  de- 
scribed what  they  had  known  and  felt  of  Divine  life. 

If,  in  the  passages  to  be  cited  from  the  works  of  George  Fox,  the 

*  Kom.  ii.  20.  t Is-  xliii-  24- 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  421 

reader  shall  find,  at  first,  some  obscurity  or  apparent  discrepancies,  let 
him  go  deeper,  and  they  will  probably  be  resolved  by  the  increasing 
evidence  of  heavenly  truth.  It  has  been  justly  remarked  that  "  a  writer 
is  not  to  be  blamed  because  he  is  variously  interpreted  by  his  readers, 
or  because  the  public  masses  have  a  degree  of  difficulty  in  conceiving 
his  precise  meaning.  It  will  be  so,  if  he  has  anything  of  real  moment 
to  say.  .  .  .  There  has  always  been  most  of  controversy,  for  this  reason, 
about  the  meaning  of  the  greatest  authors  and  teachers."* 

About  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  when  George  Fox  began 
to  teach  and  write,  nearly  all  the  Protestant  sects,  as  well  as  the  Catho- 
lics, held  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  original  sin,  and  vicarious  satis- 
faction. 

The  articles  of  the  church  of  England,  and  the  revised  articles  adopted 
by  the  Westminster  Assembly,  agree  in  the  following  doctrines — viz : 

1.  "That  in  the  unity  of  the  Godhead  there  be  three  persons  of  one  sub- 
stance, power  and  eternity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2.  "  Original  sin  standeth  not  in  the  following  of  Adam,  but,  together  with 
his  first  sin  imputed,  it  is  the  fault  and  corruption  of  every  man  that  is  natu- 
rally engendered  of  the  offspring  of  Adam."  ....    "  Therefore  in  every 
person  born   into  this   world  it  deserveth    God's  wrath   and   damnation." 
"And  this  infection  of  nature  doth  remain,  yea,  in  them  that  are  regene- 
rate, whereby  the  flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to  the  spirit.'' 

3.  "  We  are  justified,  that  is  we  are  accounted  righteous  before  God.  and 
have  remission  of  sins  ;  .  .  .  only  for  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ's  sake, 
his  whole  obedience  and  satisfaction  being  by  God  imputed  to  us."     Or  as 
the  Westminister  articles  express  it,  "  we  are  accounted  righteous  before  God 
only  for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.f 

These  were  the  popular  doctrines  of  that  age,  generally  held  by 
Episcopalians,  Catholics,  Presbyterians,  Independents,  and  Baptists. 

And,  moreover,  it  was  maintained  that  justification  precedes  sancti- 
fication ;  the  former  being  derived  from  Christ's  righteousness  imputed 
to  believers,  for  whom  he  died  as- a  substitute  to  satisfy  Divine  justice ; 
the  latter  being  wrought  in  man  by  the  operation  of  Divine  grace. 

It  remains  now  to  be  considered  whether  George  Fox  accepted  or 
rejected  these  popular  dogmas ;  and  if  he  rejected  them,  in  what  sense 
he  understood  the  scripture  texts  generally  adduced  in  their  support. % 

*  BushnelPs  God  in  Christ.  f  Neale's  Hist,  of  Puritans,  II. 

J  In  this  dissertation  the  selections  from  the  writings  of  George  Fox  are  taken 
verbatim  from  his  Journal,  first  London  edition,  1694;  his  Doetrinals,  London 
edition,  1706;  his  "Great  Mystery,"  London  edition,  1659,  and  Saul's  Errand  to 
Damascus,  London  edition,  1654. 

References  are  also  given  to  George  Fox's  Works,  American  edition,  1831,  and 
to  bis  Journal,  Collins*  New  York  edition,  1800, 


422  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

THE     FATHER,     WORD     AND      HOLT     SPIRIT. 

In  "a  testimony  of  what  we  believe  of  Christ  before  he  was  manifest  in 
the  flesh,1'  &c.,  after  quoting  the  text,  1  John.  v.  7,  George  Fox  thus  pro- 
ceeds. "  Anil  ye  professors  who  have  given  new  names  to  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  (Trinity,  and  three  distinct  persons,)  and  say 
the  scripture  is  your  rule  for  your  doctrine,  but  there  is  no  such  rule  in  the 
scripture  to  call  them  by  these  new  names,  which  the  apostle  that  gave 
forth  the  scripture  doth  not  give  them,  and  because  we  do  not  call  the 
Father,  and  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  by  your  new  names,  therefore 
do  you  falsely  say,  that  the  Quakers  deny  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost; 
which  we  own  in  those  names  and  sound  words  in  which  the  Holy  men 
of  God  speak  them  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  ye  give  other  new  names 
to,  and  yet  say  ye  have  not  the  same  spirit  which  they  had  that  gave  forth 
the  scriptures.  So  which  is  to  be  followed  ?  judge  yourselves.  But  this  is 
the  record  that  God  hath  given  unto  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his 
Son.  And  we  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  a  mind 
to  know  him,  which  is  true,  and  we  are  in  him  that  is  true;  mark,  that  is, 
in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  this  same  is  very  God  and  eternal  life,  and  this  we 
the  people  of  God  in  scorn  called  Quakers,  do  witness."* 

In  reply  to  Christopher  Wade,  who  had  asserted  that  "  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a 
person,  and  that  there  was  a  trinity  of  three  persons  before  Christ  was  born," 
George  Fox  says,  "Thou  knowest  not  him  that  is  in  the  Father  and  the 
Father  in  him,  glorified  with  the  Father  before  the  world  began.  And  the 
scriptures  doth  not  tell  people  of  a  trinity  nor  three  persons,  but  the  common- 
prayer  mass-book  speaks  of  three  persons  brought  in  by  thy  father  the  Pope  ; 
and  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  was  always  one."  t 
,  Priest  Ferguson  had  asserted  "  that  Christ  and  the  Father,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  are  not  one,  but  they  are  three,  therefore  distinct."  George  Fox  re- 
plies, "This  is  the  denying  of  Christ's  doctrine,  who  saith,  'I  and  rny  Father 
are  one;'  and  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  he 
was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  are  all  one  and  not  distinct, 
but  one  in  unity;  that  which  comes  out  from  him  leads  the  saints  into  all 
truth,  (that  ever  was  given  forth  from  the  spirit  of  truth,)  and  so  up  unto 
God  the  father  of  truth,  and  so  goes  back  again  from  whence  it  came. "$ 

In  a  postscript  to  a  treatise  entitled  "The  Man  Christ  Jesus  the  Head  of 
the  Church,  and  true  Mediator  in  opposition  to  the  papist  head,  their  Popej" 
&c..  George  Fox  says,  "Christ  is  the  head  of  his  church  that  he  gathered 
out  of  the  whole  world  unto  his  name ;  and  he  is  in  the  midst  of  them  a 
prophet,  and  a  priest,  and  a  shepherd,  and  a  bishop,  and  a  counsellor,  and  a 
king  to  rule  in  the  hearts  of  his  church,  and  to  exercise  those  offices  in  his 
church. "§ 

Concerning  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  George  Fox  remarks,  that  "  some 
have  been  so  bold  as  to  say  he  is  in  heaven  with  a  natural  and  carnal  body ; 
but  these  have  been  some  of  the  grossest  sort  of  professors.  And  the  most 
sort  of  professors  say  he  is  in  heaven  with  a  humane  body.  But  these  are 
not  scripture  terms  or  names,  for  if  your  vile  natural  and  human  bodies 
must  be  changed,  and  made  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  then  how  can  ye 
say  that  Christ  is  in  heaven  with  a  carnal,  natural,  or  humane  body?':| 

*  George  Fox's  Doctrinals,  446 ;  and  Works,  V.  126. 

f  George  Fox's  Great  Mystery,  246;  and  Works,  III.  397. 

J  Ibid,  293 ;  and  Works,  III.  463. 

g  Ibid,  v.  434  to  454 ;  Doctrinals,  714  and  718. 

U  George  Fox's  Works,  V.  154 ;  Doctrinals,  467. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEOKGE   FOX.  423 

"Christ's  body  is  not  carnal,  but  spiritual,  the  first  man  was  of  the  earth 
—  earthly,  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven  —  heavenly,  and  is  a 
glorious  body, — and  the  saints  are  made  like  unto  his  glorious  body:  there- 
fore the  first  state  is  carnal,  the  second  glorious;  so  there  is  a  natural  body, 
and  there  is  a  spiritual  body.''* 

Concerning  the  true  light  of  Christ  and  his  Divinity,  George  Fox  says, 
"  the  Papist  and  Protestant  teachers  which  do  oppose  the  true  light  of  Christ, 
which  enlightens  every  man  that  comes  into  the  world,  which  is  the  life  in 
Christ,  who,  with  their  darkness  cannot  comprehend  it,  though  it  shines  in 
their  darkness,  and  are  haters  of  the  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil,  and 
will  not  come  to  it  because  it  will  reprove  them:  and  so  close  their  eyes 
and  stop  their  ears  to  the  light,  which  is  the  life  in  Christ,  and  so  will  not 
hear  with  their  ears  nor  see  with  their  eyes.  So  they  are  not  like  to  be 
converted  to  Christ,  to  heal  them  when  they  stop  their  ears  to  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  namely,  his  light,  the  life  in  him,  which  Christ  commands  them 
to  believe  in  and  walk  in  ;  and  yet  without  the  light,  the  life  in  Christ,  pre- 
tend to  preach  him  -in  the  flesh,  and  deny  him  in  his  divinity.  And  the 
apostle  saith,  "he  had  known  Christ  after  the  flesh,  but  henceforth  he  knew 
him  so  no  more.'  But  what  will  the  teachers,  both  of  the  Papists  and  Pro- 
testants say  to  this,  that  deny  Christ  the  true  light  which  enlightens  every 
man  that  comes  into  the  world  ?"f 

From  these,  and  many  similar  passages  that  might  be  quoted,  we  may 
conclude  that  although  George  Fox  acknowledged  the  scripture  doctrine 
of  "Father,  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost,"  yet  he  rejected  the  term  Trinity, 
and  the  idea  of  tri-personality. 

The  Word  [or  Logos]  which  "  was  in  the  beginning  with  God  and 
•was  God,"  took  flesh,  or  was  manifest  in  the  flesh.  "  He  took  not  on 
him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham." 
"  As  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  took 
part  of  the  same,"  J  and  "  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  hum- 
bled himself  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross."  I 

The  body  of  Christ,  glorified  in  heaven,  is  not  carnal,  but  spiritual  ; 
and  "  the  saints  are  made  like  unto  his  glorious  body."  He,  "  the  man 
Christ  Jesus,  is  the  head  of  the  Church  and  true  mediator,"  who  "  gave 
himself,  to  be  head  over  all  things,  to  his  church,  which  is  his  body." 

The  divinity  of  Christ  is  his  light, |j — the  indwelling  of  divine  power, — 
the  divine  Word  (or  Logos)  which  was,  and  is  manifested  in  him, — and 
which,  through  him,  gives  life  to  all  his  members,  for  "  it  pleased  the 
Father  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell."  The  eternal  Word,  or 
Holy  Spirit,  is  the  manifestation  of  God; — omnipresent,  but  invisible, 
yet  made  known  to  the  quickened  conscience  as  a  reprover  for  sin  ; — a 

*  Works,  III.  505 ;  Great  Mystery,  322. 

f  George  Fox's  Works,  VI.  479 ;  Doctrinals,  1085. 

J  Heb.  ii.  14.  g  Phil.  ii.  8. 

y  Works,  VI.  479  ;  III.  487 ;  Doctrinals,  1085 ;  Great  Mystery,  310. 


424  A   DISSERTATION    ON   THE 

"  spirit  of  judgment  and  a  spirit  of  burning"  to  the  guilty  soul,  but  to 
the  obedient  and  pure  in  heart,  a  comforter  in  righteousness. 

THE  ORIGINAL  AND   PRESENT   STATE  OF   MAN. 

IN  a  treatise  of  George  Fox,  "concerning  tlie  living  God  of  truth,  and  the 
world's  God  in  whom  there  is  no  truth,  and  also,  how  man  and  woman  fell 
from  the  living  God,  and  how  the  serpent  became  the  God  of  the  world," 
&c.T  the  following  passages  are  found,  to  wit:  "I  say,  as  long  as  man  and 
woman  stood  in  God's  counsel,  and  in  obedience  to  his  word,  and  wisdom, 
and  power,  by  which  all  things  were  made  and  created,  they  stood  in  the 
perfect  good  and  blessed  estate,  and  in  the  dominion  in  God's  righteous 
holy  image  and  likeness,  which  did  neither  corrupt  nor  burden  themselves 
nor  the  creation,  but  stood  blessed  and  perfect  in  their  good  estate,  which 
God,  who  is  the  only  good,  had  placed  them  in."  *  *  *  * 

"  Now  the  devil,  the  serpent  that  abode  not  in  the  truth,  who  was  an 
enemy  to  man's  prosperity  and  happiness,  that  tree  of  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil,  which  God  Almighty  had  forbidden  man  and  woman  to  eat  of, 
and  told  them,  "In  the  day  that  they  did  eat  thereof,  they  should  die,'  that 
[tree]  did  the  serpent  make  his  text  of  to  beguile  and  deceive  man  and  woman 
with,  which  God  had  forbidden  man  and  woman  to  eat  of."  *  *  *  *  "So 
he  was  the  father  of  this  lie  which  Eve  and  Adam  believed,  and  so  came 
under  the  curse  and  condemnation,  and  lost  their  blessed  state;  who,  in- 
stead of  having  their  eyes  opened  by  disobeying  God,  the  God  of  truth,  the 
world's  God  out  of  truth  blinded  them."*  *  *  * 

"  So  thinking  to  be  made  wise  they  became  fools,  which  brought  the  rod 
upon  the  back  of  them,  which  also  comes  upon  all  their  posterity  in  the  fall."f 

"But  the  promise  of  God  was  to  mankind,  '  That  the  seed  of  the  woman 
should  bruise  the  serpent's  head.'  So  here  was  the  first  promise  of  Christ, 
which  all  the  faithful  hoped  for  and  believed  in,  for  their  resurrection  out 
of  that  fallen  estate."  *  *  *  * 

"But  ye  may  say  that  Adam  and  Eve  were  alive  after  this,  else  how  could 
they  have  children  afterwards  ?  Yea,  they  were  alive  outwardly,  but  they 
died  from  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  and  righteousness  and  holiness 
which  God  Almighty  made  them  in,  and  from  that  power,  in  which  the 
Lord  gave  them  dominion  over  all  the  works  of  his  hands. 

"So  the  Lord  God  said,  "  Thou  shall  not  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil,  for  in  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shall  surely  die.'  But 
the  serpent  said,  "If  ye  eat  ibereof  ye  shall  not  surely  die.'  And  they  did 
eat,  and  disobeyed  the  Lord's  voice  and  command,  and  did  surely  die;  and 
so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  and  all  died  in  Adam."  *  *  *  * 

"Therefore,  as  Christ  said,  'Go  teach  all  nations,  and  baptize  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost.'  Seeing  all  was  dead  in  Adam, 
and  so  plunged  into  death,  by  disobeying  the  Lord  and  hearkening  unto  the 
serpent."  "So  all  must  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  Christ,  with  fire  and 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  all  their  disobedience,  transgression,  sin  and  corrup- 
tion ;  and  their  chaff  must  be  plunged  down  and  burnt  up  by  the  baptism 
of  Christ,  before  they  can  come  into  the  paradise  of  God,  and  have  right  to 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life."J 

In  a  treatise  entitled,  "A  distinction  betwixt  the  prophets  of  God,  Christ 
and  his  ministers,  and  the  messengers  of  Satan,"  &c.,  George  Fox  says, 

*  Works  of  George  Fox,  VI.  4,  5,  9 :  Doctrinals,  720-1. 

t  Ibid,  723.  J  Ibid,  VI.  9,  10,  11;  Doctrinals,  724-25. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  425 

"  The  Protestant  priests,  ministers  and  teachers,  preach  to  the  people,  and 
teach  them,  both  in  public  and  private,  that  they  must  carry  a  body  of  sin 
and  a  body,  of  death,  as  long  as  they  live  on  this  side  the  grave ;  and 
none  can  be  made  free  from  sin  and  this  body  of  death,  as  long  as  they  live 
upon  the  earth."  "  And  they  have  so  riveted  this  doctrine  into  the  people, 
of  carrying  a  body  of  sin  and  death,  and  not  being  made  free  from  it  while 
upon  the  eatth  ;  that  both  the  professors  and  the  hearers,  as  well  as  the 
priests,  plead  for  this  body  of  sin,  death  and  imperfection,  while  upon  the 
earth  ;  and  many  of  the  teachers  and  professors  are  so  ignorant,  that  they 
say  the  outward  body  or  creature  of  man  and  woman,  is  the  outward  body 
of  sin  and  death  ;  which  doctrine  is  utterly  false."  ....  After  quoting 
Rom.  viii.  19,  20,  21 ;  and  vi.  6,  7,  22,  he  adds:  "So  you  may  see  here  that 
the  Romans,  and  the  church  of  Christ  and  the  apostles,  as  men  and  women 
were  living,  though  the  old  man  of  sin  was  crucified.''* 

In  discoursing  with  some  persons  in  Ireland  concerning  election  and  re- 
probation, George  Fox  says,  "  I  told  them,  though  they  judged  our  principle 
foolish,  it  was  too  high  for  them,  and  they  could  not  with  their  wisdom  com- 
prehend it;  therefore  I  would  discourse  with  them  according  to  their  capa- 
cities. You  say,  said  I,  that  God  hath  ordained  the  greatest  part  of  men  for 
hell,  and  that  they  were  ordained  so  before  the  world  began,  for  which  your 
proof  is  in  Jude.  You  say  Esau  was  reprobated,  and  the  Egyptians  and 
the  stock  of  Ham  ;  but  Christ  saith  to  his  disciples  'Go  teach  all  nations,' 
and,  'Go  unto  all  nations,  and  preach  the  gospel  of  life  and  salvation.' 
Now  if  they  were  to  go  to  all  nations,  were  they  not  to  go  to  Ham's  stock, 
and  Esau's  stock?  Did  not  Christ  die  for  all?  Then  for  the  stock  of  Ham, 
of  Esau  and  the  Egyptians.  Doth  not  the  scripture  say,  God  would  have 
all  men  to  be  saved?"  *  *  *  * 

"  And  though  the  apostle  speaks  of  God's  loving  Jacob  and  hating  Esau, 
yet  he  tells  the  believers;  "We  all  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  as 
well  as  others.'  This  includes  the  stock  of  Jacob,  (of  which  the  apostle 
himself  was,  and  all  believing  Jews  were.)  And  thus  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  were  all  concluded  under  sin,  and  so  under  condemnation,  that 
God  might  have  mercy  upon  all  through  Jesus  Christ.  So  the  election  and 
choice  stands  in  Christ;  'and  he  that  believes,  is  saved;  and  he  that  believes 
not,  is  condemned  already.'  And  Jacob  is  the  second  birth  which  God 
loved,  and  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  must  be  born  again  before  they  can  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God.  And  when  you  are  born  again,  ye  will  know  elec- 
tion and  reprobation  ;  for  the  election  stands  in  Christ  the  seed,  before  the 
world  began;  but  the  reprobation  lies  in  the  evil  seed  since  the  world 
began. "f 

From  the  passages  above  quoted,  and  others  of  similar  import,  it 
appears  that  George  Fox  rejected  the  doctrine  of  "  original  sin ;"  he 
believed  that  the  death  denounced  against  man  for  transgression,  and 
experienced  by  the  first  human  pair,  was  the  loss  or  suspension  of 
Divine  life  in  the  soul:  "They  died  from  the  image  and  likeness  of  God, 
and  from  righteousness  and  holiness,"  ..."  which  also  comes  upon 
all  their  posterity  in  the  fall."  That  this  fall  from  their  first  estate  was 
caused  by  giving  way  to  the  evil  suggestions  of  "the  devil  or  serpent;" 

*  Ibid,  VI.  436 ;  Doctrinals,  1052. 

f  George  Fox's  Journal,  American  Edition,  1800,  vol.  II.  p.  105-6 ;  and  London 
Edition,  1694,  p.  331. 


426  A   DISSERTATION    ON   THE 

and  that  the  first  birth,  otherwise  called  the  natural  man,  "  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him." 
They  who  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  are  in  a  reprobate  state,  being 
children  of  wrath;  but  the  election  pertains  to  the  second  birth,  for  the 
promise  is  unto  Christ  the  Seed,  and  to  all  who  become  "  partakers  of 
the  Divine  nature"  through  Him. 

But  although  the  animal  propensities  which  lead  to  sin  are  inherent 
in  man,  yet  "  sin  is  not  imputed  where  there  is  no  law  ;"*  and  conse- 
quently no  guilt  is  imputed  to  infants. 

THE     ATONEMEJfT     OR     R  E  C  O  N  C  I  1 1  A  T  I  O  N  . 

George  Fox  was  asked  by  priest  Stevens,  "  why  Christ  cried  out  upon 
the  cross,  'my  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?'  And  why  he 
said,  '  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me  ;  yet  not  my  will,  but  thine 
be  done?'  and  'I  told  him,'  he  writes  in  his  journal,  'at  that  time  the  sins 
of  all  mankind  were  upon  him,  and  their  iniquities  and  transgressions,  with 
which  he  was  wounded  ;  which  he  was  to  bear  and  to  be  an  offering  for 
them,  as  he  was  man,  but  died  not,  as  he  was  God.  And  so  in  that  he  died 
for  all  men,  and  tasted  death  for  every  man,  he  was  an  offering  for  the  sins 
of  the  whole  world.  (This  I  spoke  being  at  the  time  in  a  measure  sensible 
of  Christ's  suffering,  and  what  he  went  through."  f) 

In  a  paper  "concerning  the  church  of  Christ,"  &c.,  he  says,  "Christ  took 
upon  him  the  seed  of  Abraham ;  he  doth  not  say  the  corrupt  seed  of  the 
Gentiles.  So  according  to  the  flesh,  he  was  of  the  holy  seed  of  Abraham 
and  David;  and  his  holy  body  and  blood  was  an  offering  and  A  sacrifice  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  as  a  Lamb  without  blemish,  whose  flesh  saw 
no  corruption.  And  so  by  the  one  offering  of  himself  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  New  Covenant,  he  has  put  an  end  to  all  the  offerings  and  sacri- 
fices among  the  Jews  in  the  Old  Testament  And  Christ,  the  Holy  Seed, 
was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  according  to  the  flesh,  and  raised  again  the 
third  day;  and  his  flesh  saw  no  corruption.  Though  he  was  crucified  in 
the  flesh,  yet  quickened  again  by  the  spirit,  and  is  alive,  and  liveth  forever- 
more  ;  and  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  given  to  him.  and  reigneth 
over  all;  and  is  the  one  mediator  betwixt  God  and  man.  even  the  man 
Christ  Jesus.  And  Christ  said,  'he  gave  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world;' 
and  the  Apostle  saith,  'his  flesh  saw  no  corruption;'  so,  that  which  saw  no 
corruption,  he  gave  for  the  life  of  the  corrupt  world  to  bring  them  out  of 
corruption.  And  Christ  said  again, '  He-  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and-drinketh 
my  blood,  hath  eternal  life ;  for  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is 
drink  indeed.  And  he  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwell- 
eth  in  me,  and  I  in  him.'' J 

Thomas  Collier  having  asserted  in  print,  that  'If  Christ  doth  enlighten 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,'  &o.,  if  this  were  truth,  then  Christ 
died  in  vain,  and  in  vain  hath  Christ  spoke  of  himself,  saying,  'I  am  the 
way,  the  truth,  the  life,  the  light,' &o.  George  Fox  replies;  viAnd  none  sees 
Christ  the  one  offering,  but  with  the  light  that  cometh  from  him  ;  nor  none 
knows  the  Saviour  Christ  Jesus,  but  with  the  light  that  cometh  from  him  ; 
and  that  lets  them  see  the  body  prepared,  Christ  who  was  the  seed  of 
Abraham  according  to  the  flesh,  the  one  offering  that  ends  all  offerings;  and 

*  Koin.  v.  13.  f  Journal,  I.  4;  and  London  Edition,  1694,  p.  4. 

J  Journal,  II.  367-8;  and  London  Edition,  1694,  555. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE  FOX.  427 

his  blood  that  is  the  atonement  which  is  the  saints' drink,  which  who  drinks 
shall  live,  with  which  their  consciences  are  purged  from  dead  works  to 
serve  the  "living  God.r* 

In  answer  to  Thomas  Moore,  George  Fox  says:  "The  blood  of  Christ 
which  satisfies  the  Father  which  the  saints  drink,  and  his  flesh  which  they 
eat,  which  in  so  doing  [they]  have  life,  is  that  which  the  world  stumble  at; 
which  who  drinks  lives  forever.  And  the  Apostle  preached  the  word  of 
faith  in  their  hearts,  and  in  their  mouths,  and  the  word  reconciles  to  the 
Father;  and  hammers  down,  and  cuts  down  and  burns-  that  which  sepa- 
rates from  the  Father ;  and  over  it  gives  the  victory."  •)• 

Philip  Taverner,  an  opposer  of  Friends,  uses  this  language:  "The  light 
which  is  in  every  man  is  but  darkness  being  compared  with  a  revelation 
of  Christ  in  the  saints."  "  Our  justification  hath  its  rise  from  what  Christ 
hath  done  and  suffered  for  us,  not  from  what  he  hath  done  in  us.  Justifi- 
cation and  sanctification  are  ever  distinct  in  their  nature,  distinct  one  from 
the  other;  justification  is  not  sanctification,  nor  sanctification,  justification ; 
but  two  things  really  distinct  in  their  nature." 

George  Fox  replies,  "  The  light  which  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world  is  lightened  withal,  is  Christ,  and  this  light  reveals  Christ,  and  is  the 
saints'  light,  and  this  light  is  condemnation  to  the  world  which  hates  it. 
And  no  man  knoweth  justification,  but  as  he  knoweth  it  wrought  within 
from  Christ,  and  no  man  knows  the  seed  that  was  offered,  the  sacrifice  of 
the  whole  world,  but  as  he  knows  it  within  through  the  faith  ;  and  who  are 
of  the  faith  they  are  of  Abraham,  they  are  of  the  flesh  of  Christ,  the  flesh 
of  him  that  suffered;  and  if  men  have  not  Christ  within  them,  they  have 
not  justification ;  and  though  they  may  talk  of  him  without,  and  have  him 
not  within,  such  are  reprobates  that  have  not  Christ  within  them  ;  repro- 
bate from  Christ,  from  justification  and  sanctification  both,  but  are  of  the 
generation  that  caused  him  to  suffer;  and  justification  and  sanctification 
are  one,  not  distinguished  the  one  from  the  other  in  their  natures,  but  are 
one  in  nature,  not  two  things  really  distinct  in  their  nature,  but  really  one, 
for  Christ  our  sanctification  and  justification,  is  he  that  sanctifies  and  justi- 
fies;  they  are  one  in  nature  which  is  Christ,  who  is  sanctification  and  justi- 
fication both ;  and  thou  art  rebuked  which  makes  two  of  them  and  distinct, 
when  it's  but  one  thing,  the  same  that  justifies,  sanctifies."  J 

Philip  Taverner  asserts,  moreover,  that  "If  the  fulfilling  of  the  righteous 
law  in  us  be  justification,  then  Christ  died  in  vain." 

George  Fox  rejoins,  "He  that  fulfils  the  righteousness  of  the  law  in  us, 
is  Christ  the  justification ;  hereby  men  come  to  know  him  that  he  redeems 
them  from  under  the  law,  and  they  are  led  by  the  spirit;  and  they  know 
he  is  their  intercession  and  died  not  in  vain,  and  he  ends  the  law  who  ful- 
fils it.  And  he  is  the  justification  to  every  one  that  believes."  J 

William  Jeffries,  another  opponent,  said  "The  spirit  of  Antichrist  denies 
Christ  come  in  the  flesh,  and  says  the  light  within  is  Christ,  when  at  the 
best  it  is  but  the  light  of  nature."  *  *  * 

George  Fox  replies,  " '  the  light  which  doth  enlighten  every  man  that 
cometh  into  the  world,'  is  Christ,  and  none  can  confess  him  in  truth,  nor 
see  him,  nor  lift  him  up,  as  the  serpent  was  lifted  up  in  the  wilderness,  but 
who  be  in  the  light  which  cometh  from  him.  And  by  this  thou  hast  over- 

*  Works  of  George  Fox,  III.  212;  Great  Mystery,  121. 

f  Ibid,  III.  227 ,-  Great  Mystery,  131. 

J  George  Fox's  Works,  III.  487-8 ;  Great  Mystery,  310. 


428  A   DISSERTATION    ON   THE 

thrown  thyself;  for  them  that  confess  the  light  in  them  to  be  Christ,  (which 
Christ  saith  he  is  the  light),  these  do  not  deny  Christ  come  in  the  flesh."* 

Among  certain  queries  propounded  to  George  Fox,  and  found  in  his  tract 
called  "Saul's  errand  to  Damascus,"  one  was,  "whether  a  believer  be  jus- 
tified by  Christ's  righteousness  imputed,  yea  or  no?" 

He  answered,  "  He  that  believeth  is  born  of  God ;  and  he  that  is  born  of 
God  is  justified  by  Christ  alone  without  imputation. "-j- 

Timothy  Trevor,  having  asserted  "that  he  that  doth  not  preach  the  death 
and  resurrection  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  that  rose  from  the  dead  at  Jeru 
salem,  preacheth  not  the  gospel,  whatsoever  else  he  doth  declare." 

George  Fox  answered,  "  He  that  preacheth  Christ,  must  preach  that  Christ 
that  died  at  Jerusalem,  for  he  is  the  same  to-day,  yesterday  and  forever;  the 
Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  which  seed,  Christ,  breaks 
the  serpent's  head,  and  destroys  death  and  the  devil  that  went  out  of  the 
truth  ;  and  death  being  destroyed,  the  captivated  one  comes  out  by  the  power 
which  is  the  gospel,  and  the  prisoner  of  hope  shows  himself  forth,  and  then 
the  covenant  of  light  and  life  is  felt,  and  peace  with  God;  but  the  repro- 
bate, devil,  death  and  destruction,  antichrist,  the  beast  and  false  prophet, 
may  talk  of  Christ  without,  and  he  [be]  not  felt  within ;  such  are  then  the 
reprobates."$ 

In  a  treatise  entitled,  "A  distinction  betwixt  the  prophets  of  God,  Christ 
and  his  ministers,  and  the  messengers  of  Satan,"  &c.,  he  says,  "  Here  you 
may  see  what  men  get  by  their  outward  knowledge ;  for  when  Adam  and 
Eve  fed  upon  the  tree  of  knowledge,  then  the  Lamb  was  slain  in  them  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world ;  and  when  the  Lamb  Christ  was  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  then  they  that  were  in  this  outward  brutish  knowledge  and  wisdom 
below,  crucified  Christ  outwardly  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem;  and 
after,  when  Christianity  was  spread  up  and  down  the  world,  and  many  got 
an  outward  form  of  Christianity  and  denied  the  power,  and  got  into  this 
brutish  outward  knowledge  and  wisdom  below,  they  crucified  to  themselves 
Christ  afresh,  as  in  Hebrews,  vi.  6.§ 

In  his  treatise,  "concerning  the  living  God  of  truth,"  &c.,  he  says:  "So 
Christ  gave  gifts  unto  men,  first  unto  his  twelve  and  seventy,  before  he  was 
crucified  and  ascended.  And  it  is  also  clear,  that  Christ  gives  gifts  unto 
men  after  he  ascended,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  and  makes  some  evan- 
gelists, some  pastors,  some  teachers,  and  some  prophets,  according  to  the 
Apostle's  doctrine,  Eph.  iv."|| 

The  following  query  being  propounded  to  him,  viz:  "  whether  Christ  in 
the  flesh  be  a  figure  or  not;  and  if  a  figure,  how  and  what?  He  answers. 
"  Christ  is  the  substance  of  all  figures,  and  his  flesh  is  a  figure ;  for  every 
one  passeth  through  the  same  way  as  he  did,  who  comes  to  know  Christ  in 
the  flesh;  there  must  be  a  suffering  with  him  before  there  can  be  a  rejoicing 
with  him.  Christ  is  an  example  for  all  to  walk  after,  and  if  thou  knowest 
•what  an  example  is,  thou  wouldst  know  what  a  figure  is  to  come  up  to  the 
same  fulness."^" 

In  a  paper  entitled,  "The  man  Christ  Jesus  the  head  of  the  church,  and 

*  Works  of  George  Fox,  III.  246 ;  Great  Mystery,  144. 

•j-  Saul's  Errand  to  Damascus,  London  Edition,  1654,  p.  12 ;  George  Fox's 
Works,  III. 

J  Works  of  George  Fox,  III.  509 ;  Great  Mystery,  325. 

$  Ibid,  VI.  448;  Doctrinals,  1062. 

||  Works  of  George  Fox,  VI.  22 ;  Doctrinals,  733. 

f  Works  of  George  Fox,  III.  596-7 ;  Saul's  Errand  to  Damascus,  p.  12. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  429 

true  mediator,  in  opposition  to  the  Papist  head,  their  Pope,1'  &c.,  Georga 
Fox  says,  "Now  it's  clear,  there  is  but  one  mediator  betwixt  God  and  men, 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  head  of  his  church  ;  and  whosoever  hath  set 
up,  or  do  set  up  other  mediators  betwixt  God  and  man,  than  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  are  in  the  apostacy  from  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  and  follow  their  own 
doctrines,  and  not  the  apostolical  doctrine;  for  he  is  the  one  mediator  be- 
twixt God  and  man,  the  one  eternal,  living  God,  creator  of  all,  and  Christ 
Jesus,  by  whom  were  all  things,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all  men ; 
he  is  the  alone  one  mediator  betwixt  God  and  man,  who  is  the  only  head  of 
his  church,  and  his  church  do  testify  him  so  to  be,  that  are  come  to  Jesus 
their  mediator ;  who  hath  made  their  peace  betwixt  them  and  God,  and  so 
hath  received  him;  who  is  come,  and  hath  given  them  an  understanding 
to  know  him ;  and  they  that  have  him,  have  life  everlasting."  * 

From  these  passages,  and  others  to  be  cited  in  the  sequel,  we  cannot 
avoid  the  conclusion  that  George  Fox  rejected  the  commonly  received 
doctrine  of  satisfaction  or  vicarious  atonement.  He  did  not  believe  in 
imputative  righteousness,  nor  that  Christ  died  as  a  substitute  to  satisfy 
the  justice,  or  appease  the  wrath  of  God. 

He  said  to  priest  Stevens,  that  "  the  sins  of  all  mankind  were  upon 
Christ,  with  which  he  was  wounded,  and  to  be  an  offering  for  as  he  was 
man,  but  died  not  as  he  was  God."  "  He  tasted  death  for  every  man," 
and  "  this  I  spoke,"  he  says,  "  being  at  the  time  in  a  measure  sensible 
of  Christ's  sufferings,"  which  shows  that  he  considered  them  inward 
and  spiritual,  being  grieved  and  burdened  with  a  deep  sense  of  the  sina 
of  the  world. 

We  have  seen  that  he  speaks  of  "the  blood  of  Christ  which  satisfies 
the  Father,  and  which  the  saints  drink ;"  also  of  "  the  word  of  faith  in 
their  hearts  and  in  their  mouths,  which  reconciles  to  the  Father."  The 
reconciliation  or  atonement  is  wrought  in  man,  for  "  God  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself."  There  can  be  no  change  in  Deity. 

Therefore  "  Christ's  blood,  which  is  the  atonement,  is  the  saints' 
drink  ;"f  it  is  spiritual,  and  it  "  purges  the  conscience,"  which  nothing 
outward  can  do. 

This  "  blood  or  life  of  Christ  Jesus  is  the  alone  atonement  unto  God,"J 
the  only  thing  that  can  produce  that  change  in  man  which  reconciles 
him  to  his  heavenly  Father. 

Justification  is  wrought  within  by  the  spirit  of  Christ,  for  man  must 
be  made  just,  before  he  can  be  accounted  so  by  the  righteous  Judge  of 
heaven  and  earth. 

Sanctification  and  justification  are  of  one  nature  and  from  one 
cause:  "  So  far  as  a  man  is  sanctified,  so  far  is  he  justified  and  no  far- 
ther, for  the  same  that  sanctifies  a  man  justifies  him,  for  the  same  that 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  V.  454;  Doctrinals,  717. 

f  Works  of  George  Fox,  III.  212.     Great  Myst.  121. 

|  Ibid,  V.  305.     Doctrinals,  646. 


430  A  DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

is  his  sanctification,  is  his  justification,  and  his  wisdom,  and  his  redemp- 
tion." He  that  knows  one  of  them,  knows  all,  he  that  doth  not  feel 
one  of  them,  feels  none  of  them  at  all,  for  they  are  all  one."* 

Now  it  is  admitted  by  all,  that  sanctification  is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  man,  and  it  is  clear  from  the  above  expressions  of  George  Fox, 
that  he  attributed  justification  and  redemption  to  the  same  inward 
•work  of  Divine  Power. 

Nevertheless,  he  expressed  a  grateful  sense  of  the  benefit  derived 
from  Christ's  work  and  sufferings  without  us,  when  he  came  in  that 
"body  prepared,"  to  do  his  Father's  will.  "By  the  one  offering  of 
himself  in  the  New  Testament  and  New  Covenant,  he  has  put  an  end 
to  all  the  offerings  and  sacrifices  among  the  Jews  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment."t 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  his  obedience  in  thus  suffering  for  us  and 
for  all  mankind,  was  acceptable  to  the  Father,  although  his  death 
brought  stupendous  judgments  on  those  who  caused  him  to  suffer. 

After  the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  there  was  a  more 
abundant  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  the  Apostles  attributed  to 
his  mediation. 

"Being,"  says  Peter,  "by  the  right  hand  of  God,  exalted  and  having 
received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed 
forth  this  which  ye  now  see  and  hear." 

In  a  paper  of  George  Fox,  "  concerning  Christ  the  spiritual  and  Holy 
Head  over  his  Holy  church,"  he  says,  "  Christ  gathers  into  one,  them 
that  are  scattered  abroad,  he  who  is  the  head  of  the  church.  For  as 
Moses  said,  '  like  unto  me  will  God  raise  up  a  prophet,  him  shall  ye 
hear.  So  all  are  to  hear  him,  and  believe  in  him  for  life  and  salvation. 
Now  Christ,  who  was  the  holy  offering  and  sacrifice,  hath  tasted  death 
for  every  man :  so  every  man  may  have  comfort  here,  if  they  believe 
in  the  light,  which  is  the  life  in  the  word,  which  lighteth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  the  world. 

"  And  he  is  a  '  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,'  and  not 
only  for  the  saints,  the  churches.'^ 

From  these  expressions,  it  is  evident  that  George  Fox  considered 
Christ  as  he  is  the  eternal  Word,  "  the  light  which  lighteth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  the  world ;"  to  be  the  "  propitiation,"  the  means  of 
securing  Divine  favour,  to  all  who  believe  and  obey  him. 

He  also  held  forth  the  holy  Jesus,  as  an  example  for  all  believers. 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  III.  450.     Great  Mystery,  284. 

f  Journal,  II.  367-8. 

J  Doctrinal?,  586.     Works  of  George  Fox,  V.  292. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS    OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


431 


"  Christ,  in  his  people,"  he  says,  "  is  the  substance  of  all  figures,  types, 
and  shadows,  fulfilling  them  in  them,  and  setting  them  free  from  them; 
but  as  he  is  held  forth  in  the  scripture  letter  without  them,  and  in  the 
flesh  without  them,  he  is  their  example  or  figure,  which  are  both  one, 
that  the  same  things  might  be  fulfilled  in  them  that  were  in  Christ 
Jesus :  '  For  even  hereunto  were  ye  called,  because  Christ  hath  suffered 
for  us,  leaving  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his  steps :  foras- 
much as  Christ  hath  suffered  for  us,  arm  yourselves  likewise  with  the 
same  mind.' 

"  Christ  was  our  example  in  suffering  and  in  holiness,  and  '  as  he 
which  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversa- 
tion, because  it  is  written,  be  ye  holy,  as  I  am  holy.'  "* 

In  order  to  elucidate  more  fully  the  views  of  George  Fox,  the  doctri- 
nal part  of  his  letter  to  the  governor  and  council  of  Barbadoes  is  here 
presented  in  parallel  columns,  with  selections  of  other  passages  from  his 
works. 
LETTER  TO  GOVERNOR  or  BAHBADOES.       EXTRACTS  FROM  WORKS  OF  G.  Fox. 


"  Whereas  many  scandalous  lies 
and  slanders  have  been  cast  upon 
us,  to  render  us  odious :  as  that  we 
do  deny  God  and  Christ  Jesus,  and 
the  scripture  of  truth,"  &c. 

This  is  to  inform  you,  that  all  our 
books  and  declarations,  which,  for 
these  many  years,  have  been  pub- 
lished to  the  world,  do  clearly  tes- 
tify the  contrary. 

Yet,  notwithstanding,  for  your  sat- 
isfaction, we  do  now  plainly  and 
sincerely  declare, 

1.  "  That  we  do  own  and  believe  in 
God,  the  only  wise,  omnipotent  and 
everlasting  God,  who  is  the  creator 
of  all  things  both  in  heaven  and  in 
the  earth,  and  the  preserver  of  all 
that  he  hath  made  ;  who  is  God  over 
all,  blessed  forever;  to  whom  be  all 
honour  and  glory,  dominion,  praise 
and  thanksgiving,  both  now  and  for- 
evermore!  And  we  do  own  and 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  his  beloved 
^nd  only  begotten  Son,  in  whom  he 
is  well  pleased  ;  who  was  conceived 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary;  in  whom  we  have  re- 
demption through  his  blood,  even 
the  forgiveness  of  sins." 


1.  "So  the  blood  of  the  Old  Cove- 
nant was  the  life  of  the  beasts  and 
other  creatures ;  and  the  blood  of 
the  New  Covenant  is  the  life  of 
Christ  Jesus,  who  saith,  '  except  ye 
eat  my  flesh,  and  drink  my  blood, 
ye  have  no  life  in  yon.'  So  the  blood 
of  the  New  Covenant  is  not  accord- 
ing to  the  Old  :  and  so  with  this 
blood  of  the  New  Covenant  must 
every  one  feel  their  hearts  sprinkled, 
if  they  have  life ;  and  in  this  New 
Covenant  they  shall  all  know  the 
Lord,  &c.  And  by  this  blood  of 
Jesus,  his  life  in  the  New  Covenant, 
they  are  justified,  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  and  the  forgiveness  of 
sins  ;  and  Christ  hath  purchased  his 
church  with  his  own  blood,  his  life, 
and  their  faith  doth  stand  in  his 
blood,  which  is  the  life  of  the  Lamb. 

Therefore,  the  Apostle  saith,  '  If 
ye  walk  in  the  light  as  he  is  in  the 
light,  then  have  ye  fellowship  one 
with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Christ 
Jesus,  his  Son,  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.'  "f 


*  Saul's  Errand  to  Damascus,  p.  8,  and  George  Fox's  Works,  III.  592-3. 
t  Vol.  V.  363-4;  Doctrinals,  644-5. 


432 


A   DISSEKTATION   ON   THE 


2.  "  Who  is  the  express  image  of 
the  invisible  God,  the  first-born  of 
every  creature,  by  whom  were  all 
things  created,  that  are  in  heaven 
and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  in- 
visible, whether  they  be  thrones  or 
dominions,  principalities  or  powers; 
all  things  were  created  by  him." 


3.  "  And  we  do  own  and  believe, 
that  he  was  a  sacrifice  for  sin  who 
knew  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found 
in  his  mouth.  And  that  he  was 
crucified  for  us  in  the  flesh,  without 
the  gates  of  Jerusalem  ;" 


2.  "Now  all  you  that  do  profess 
Christ  in  words,  and   have  a  profes- 
sion of  him  in  the  flesh,  and  deny 
him    in    his    light,    in    his    Divinity 
'  which  enlighteneth  every  man  that 
cometh  into  the  world,'  hear  what 
Christ  saith, 'Believe  in  the  light;' 
and  John,  speaking  of  Christ,  saith, 
'In  him  was  life,  and  this  life  was 
the  light  of  men  ;  and  the  light  shined 
in   the  darkness,  and  the    darkness 
comprehended  it  not;  and  that  was 
the  true  light  which   lighteth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world  ;  and 
he  was  in  the  world,  and  the  world 
was  made  by  him,  and   the  world 
knew  him  not :  he  came  to  his  own, 
and  his  own  received  him  not;  but 
as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  he 
gave  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God,  even  to  them  that  believed  in 
his  name.' :)  *  *  *   * 

"And  what  is  his  name?  The 
Light,  the  Word,  Jesus,  the  Saviour, 
Christ,  the  anointed  of  God,  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  &c.* 

3.  "  The  saints  are  the  temples  of 
God,  and  God  dwells  in  them,  and 
walks  in  them ;    and  they  come  to 
witness  the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  they 
glorify  him  in  their  souls  and  bodies, 
and  the  Lord  is    glorified    in    their 
bringing  forth  much  fruit.     And  they 
witness  the  seed,  the    one    offering 
for  sin  and  transgression,  to  be  mani- 
fest within  ;  and  such  are  not  repro- 
bates that  witness  the  one  offering, 
Christ  Jesus;  and  them  that  have  not 
him  within,  they  are  reprobates."  f 

"And  so  all  the  believers  in  the 
light,  are  the  children  of  the  light, 
and  are  grafted  into  Christ  that  died 
for  them ;  and  eats  the  flesh  and 
drinks  the  blood  of  the  heavenly 
man,  and  so  feeds  upon  Christ  Jesus 
their  sacrifice.  And  so  all  the  cir- 
cumcised in  heart,  men  and  women, 
feed  upon  the  sacrifice,  and  are  the 
royal  priesthood  offering  up  spiritual 
sacrifices." 


*  Vol.  V.  p.  198 ;  Doctrinals,  504. 
J  Vol.  V.  p.  266 ;  Doctrinals,  560. 


f  Vol.  III.  233 ;  Great  Mystery,  135. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX. 


433 


4.  "and  that  he  was  buried,  and 
rose  again  the  third  day  by  the 
power  of  his  Father,  for  our  justifi- 
cation." 


5.  "  And  we  do  believe  that  he 
ascended  up  into  heaven,  and  now 
sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God." 


6.  "This  Jesus  who  was  the  foun- 
dation of  the  holy  prophets  and 
Apostles,  is  our  foundation,  and  we 
do  believe  that  there  is  no  other 
foundation  to  be  laid,  but  that  which 
is  laid,  even  Christ  Jesus ;" 


7.  "  who  we  believe  tasted  death 
for  every  man,  and  shed  his  blood 
for  all  men,  and  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only, 
but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world.  According  as  John  the  Bap- 


4.  "  And  no  man  knoweth  justifi- 
cation, but  as  he  knoweth  it  wrought 
within    from    Christ,    and    no    man 
knows    the    seed   that  was    offered, 
the    sacrifice  for  the  whole  world ; 
but  as  he  knows  it  within  through 
the  faith,  and  who  are  of  the  faith 
they  are  of  Abraham,  they  are    of 
the  flesh  of  Christ,  the  flesh  of  him 
that  suffered."* 

5.  "So    if    the    'vile    body'    be 
changed  and  fashioned  like  unto  his 
glorious  body,  it  is  not  the  same,  and 
consequently  do  not  ye  undervalue 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his  body, 
ye  that  are  giving  such  by-names  to 
his  body,  as  humane  and  humanity. 
Yea,  some  have  been  so  bold  as  to 
say  that  he  is  in  heaven  with  a  na- 
tural and  carnal  body,  but  these  have 
been  some  of  the  grossest    sort    of 
professors."  f 

6.  "  None  sees  Christ  the  one  offer- 
ing, but  with  the  light  which  cometh 
from  him,  nor  none  knows  the  Sa- 
viour Christ  Jesus  but  with  the  light 
which  cometh  from  him ;  and  that 
lets    see  the  body  prepared,  Christ 
who  was  the  seed  of  Abraham,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  the  one  offering 
that  ends  all  offerings ;  and  his  blood 
that  is  the  atonement  which  is  the 
saints'   drink,  which  who   drinks  it 
shall    live,    with    which    their    con- 
sciences are  purged  from  dead  works 
to    serve  the  living  God.     And    no 
one  knows  the  foundation    of  God 
that  standeth  sure,  nor  feels  it,  nor 
sees    it,   but   with    the    light  which 
cometh  from  Christ,  the  foundation, 
that  breaks  down  all  other  founda- 
tions ;   which  light  that  every  man  is 
enlightened    withal,  gives   him   the 
knowledge    of    the    foundation    of 
God."J 

7.  "  Whosoever   hath   not   Christ 
within,  are  reprobates,  and  whoso- 
ever  hath   Christ   within,   hath   the 
righteousness. 

"  Now  Christ  that  suffered,  Christ 
that   was    offered    up,    is    manifest 


*  Vol.  III.  p.  487;  Great  Mystery,  310. 

f  Vol.  V.  p.  154;  Doctrinals,  467.      J  Vol.  III.  p.  212;  Great  Mystery,  121. 

28 


434 


A   DISSERTATION    ON   THE 


list  testified  of  him,  when  he  said  ; 
<  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the"  world.' " 
John  i.  29. 


8.  "We  believe  that  he  alone  is 
our  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  even 
the  Captain  of  our  Salvation,  (who 
saves  us  from  sin,  as  well  as  from 
hell  and  the  wrath  to  come,  and 
destroys  the  devil  and  his  works)  ; 
who  is  the  seed  of  the  woman  that 
bruises  the  serpent's  head,  viz.,  Christ 
Jesus,  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
First  and  the  Last." 


9.  "That  he  is,  (as  the  scriptures 
of  truth  say  of  him),  our  wisdom 
and  righteousness,  justification  and 
redemption ;  neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other;  for  there  is  no 
other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men,  whereby  we  may  be 
saved. 

"  It  is  he  alone  who  is  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  our  souls;  he  it 
is  who  is  our  Prophet,  whom  Moses 
long  since  testified  of,  saying ;  '  a 
prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God 
raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren, 
like  unto  me,  him  shall  ye  hear  in 
all  things,  whatsoever  he  shall  say 
unto  you ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  every  soul  that  will  not  hear 
that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed  from 
among  the  people.'  "  Acts  ii.  22,  23. 


within,  and  the  saints  are  of  his  flesh 
and  of  his  bone,  and  eat  his  flesh 
and  drink  his  blood,  and  not  another. 
The  Christ  that  ended  the  priesthood 
ended  the  offering,  ended  the  tem- 
ple, ended  the  law  and  the  first  cove- 
nant ;  the  seed  of  God  Christ  Jesus, 
this  [is]  manifest  within ;  he  that 
hath  him,  hath  life,  justification,  sanc- 
tification  and  redemption."  *  *  *  * 
"And  none  lifts  up  the  Son  of  God, 
as  the  serpent  was  lifted  up  in  the 
wilderness ;  but  as  every  one  is  in 
the  light  that  the  Son  of  God  hath 
enlightened  him  withal,  and  then 
they  know  him  that  draws  all  men 
after  him."  * 

8.  "But  the  seed  of  the  woman  is 
come  that  bruises  the  serpent's  head, 
in    which    seed,  Christ,   all   nations 
are  blessed. 

"And  all  you  who  live  and  walk 
in  this  seed,  you  live  in  him  that 
bruises  the  serpent's  head,  that  liar, 
tempter  and  questioner ;  yea,  and 
every  one  by  this  seed  Christ,  may 
be  renewed  up  into  the  image  of 
God,  as  Adam  and  Eve  were  in, 
from  the  beginning."  j-  .  .  . 

9.  "  And  I  say,  none  come  to  wit- 
ness salvation,  and  to  be  saved,  but 
who  witness  Christ  within,  their  sanc- 
tification,  justification    and  redemp- 
tion, and  the  others  are  reprobates. 
And  all  upon  the  earth  that  can  talk 
of    a    righteousness    without    them, 
and    sanctification    and   justification 
without  them,  and  a  Christ  without 
them  and  not  within  them,  they  are 
reprobates ;    for  Christ  is  the  right- 
eousness of  God,  and  the  sanctifica- 
tion   and   the   justification    of  man, 
from  the  law  and  its  works,  who 
stands  between  God  and  man.     So 
he  is  the  redemption  who  redeems 
man  out  of  the  fall  which  he  fell 
into,  and  he  doth  sanctify  him,  and  he 
doth  justify  him,  and  this  is  all  found 
within ;    and    this   not   being   found 
within,    he    is    repro'bate.      And    so 
none  are  saved  but  who  witnesseth 
this  within."  J 


*  Vol.  III.  227-8 ;  Great  Mystery,  131-32. 

f  Vol.  VIII.  243 ;  George  Fox's  Epistles,  London,  1698,  p. 

J  Vol.  III.  p.  293 ;  Great  Mystery,  175. 


DOCTRINAL  VIEWS  OF  GEORGE  FOX. 


435 


10.  "  He  it  is  that  is  now  come, 
and  hath  given  us  an  understanding, 
that  we  may  know  him  that  is  true ; 
and  he  rules  in  our  hearts  by  his  law 
of  love  and  of  life,  and  makes  us 
free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death, 
and  we  have  no  life  but  by  him : 
for  he  is  the  quickening  spirit,  the 
second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  Hea- 
ven ;  by  whose  blood  we  are  cleansed, 
and  our  consciences  sprinkled  from 
dead  works,  to  serve  the  living  God." 


11.  "And  he  is  our  mediator  that 
makes  peace  and  reconciliation  be- 
tween God  offended,  and  us  offend- 
ing; he  being  the  oath  of  God,  the 
New   Covenant  of  light,  life,  grace 
and  peace,  the  author  and  finisher 
of  our  faith.     Now,  this  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the   heavenly  man,  the   Em- 
manuel  God  with  us,  we   all  own 
and  believe  in ;  him  whom  the  high- 
priest  raged  against,  and  said  he  had 
spoken  blasphemy :  whom  the  priests 
and   the    elders    of  the    Jews   took 
counsel  together  against,  and  put  to 
death ;   the   same  whom   Judas  be- 
trayed   for    thirty   pieces    of  silver, 
which  the   priests    gave   him   as    a 
reward   for   his  treason ;   who    also 
gave  large  money  to  the  soldiers  to 
broach  an  horrible  lie,  namely, '  That 
his    disciples    came    and   stole   him 
away  by  night  whilst    they    slept.' 
And  after  Jtie  was   risen    from   the 
dead,  the  history  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  sets   forth,  how  the  chief 
priests   and    elders    persecuted    the 
disciples  of  this  Jesus,  for  preaching 
Christ   and   his  resurrection.     This, 
we    say,  is  that  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  we   own  to  be  our  life  and 
salvation." 

12.  And  as  concerning  the  holy  scriptures,  we  do  believe  that  they  were 
given  forth  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  through  the  holy  men  of  God,  who 
(as  the  scripture  itself  declares,  2  Peter,  i.  21,)  "spake  as  they  were  moved 

«  Vol.  V.  p.  365;  Doctrinals,  646. 
f  Vol.  III.  119-20;  Great  Mystery,  58. 
'    J  Vol.  III.  p.  121 ;  Great  Mystery,  59. 


10.  "The  First  Covenant  was  de- 
dicated with  the  blood,  which  was 
the  life  of  all  flesh  j  but  the  New  and 
Second  Covenant  Is  dedicated  with 
the  blood,  the   life  of  Christ  Jesus, 
which  is  the  alone  atonement  unto 
God,   by  which   all   his  people  are 
washed,  sanctified,  cleansed  and  re- 
deemed to  God ;  so  that  their  faith 
and  testimony  stands  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb,  the  Life  of  Christ  Jesus, 
foreordained  before  the  world  was, 
a  Lamb  without  blemish,  guilf>,  spot 
or   sin,    which    cleanseth    from    all 
spots  or  sin,  and  washes  and  makes 
clean  the  garments."  * 

11.  "I  say,  none  knows  him  as  a 
mediator    and    a    lawgiver,   nor   an 
offering,  nor  his  blood  that  cleanseth 
them,  but  as  they  know  him  work- 
ing in  them,  and  they  be  in  the  so- 
phistry of  their  divinity  that  know 
not  the  glory  of  the  grace  of  Christ 
working  in  them."  f 

"  None  know  the  atonement  of 
Christ  but  by  the  light  within,- and 
all  be  in-  the  mystery  of  iniquity 
that  be  out  of  the  light  which  cometh 
from  Christ,  the  Covenant  of  God  to 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  that  '  gives 
them  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ 
Jesus.' :' 

"  Mark  !  he  saith, '  the  light  is  that 
which  gives  the  knowledge ;  and 
the  light  within  doth  set  up  another 
atonement;  but  they  that  do  deny 
the  light  within,  set  up  another 
atonement  than  Christ.'  " 


436  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

by  the  Holy  Ghost.'  We  believed,  they  are  to  be  read,  believed,  and  ful- 
filled, (he  that  fulfils  them  is  Christ);  and  they  are  profitable  'for  reproof, 
for  doctrine,  for  correction,  and  for  instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the  man 
of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works,'  (2  Tim. 
iii.  10,)  'and  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus.'; 

"And  we  do  believe  that  the  holy  scriptures  are  the  words  of  God ;  for  it 
is  said  in  Exodus,  xx.  1,  '  God  spake  all  these  words,  saying.'  &c.,  meaning 
the  ten  commandments  given  forth  upon  Mount  Sinai.  And  in  Rev.  xxii. 
18,  saith  John.  'I  testify  to  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  pro- 
phecy of  this  book ;  if  any  man  addeth  unto  these,  and  if  any  man  shall 
take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,'  (not  the  word,) 
&c.  So  in  Luke,  i.  20,  'Because  thou  believest  not  my  words.'  And  in 
John  v.  47,  xv.  7,  xiv.  23,  xii.  47.  So  that  we  call  the  holy  scriptures,  as 
Christ  and  the  Apostles  called  them,  and  holy  men  of  God  called  them,  viz: 
the  words  of  God."  * 

[The  remainder  of  this  letter  relates  chiefly  to  a  slander  cast  upon 
Friends,  "  that  they  taught  the  negroes  to  rebel,"  which  George  Fox 
declares  is  "  a  most  abominable  untruth."  See  325th  page  of  this  work, 
where  the  substance  of  it  is  given.] 

SUMMARY. 

The  copious  selections  here  given  will  enable  the  reader  to  form  his 
own  judgment  on  the  points  embraced  in  them. 

The  author  now  offers  a  summary  of  what  he  apprehends  were  the 
views  of  George  Fox  on  certain  controverted  points  of  doctrine. 

1.  God  is  one,  spiritual,  omnipresent,  omniscient,  •  and  omnipotent 
being,  who  has  existed  from  all  eternity,  and  is  perfect  in  wisdom, 
goodness,  justice,  mercy,  and  truth. 

2.  When,  "  in  the  beginning,"  he  put  forth  his  wisdom  and  power, 
saying,  "  Let  there  be  light ;"  this  creative  "  WORD"  by  which  he  spoke 
the  worlds  into  being,  was  an  emanation  from  himself,  a  manifestation 
of  his  wisdom  and  power,  for  "  in  the  beginning  was  the  Word  [Logos,] 
and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God." 

3.  The  same  holy  and  divine  Word  was  manifested  in  our  first  parents, 
as  their  light  and  life  ;  and  while  they  were  obedient  to  His  teachings, 
they  were  preserved  in  the  divine  image  in  which  they  were  created, 
but  when  they  listened  to  th«  tempter,  and  transgressed  the  law,  they 
fell,  and  became  "  carnally  minded,"  which  "  is  death." 

4.  Infants  do  not  inherit  from  Adam  any  guilt  or  sin,  for  "  sin  is  the 
transgression  of  the  law,"f  and,  "  sin  is  not  imputed  where  there  is  no 
law."t 

Nevertheless  we  do  inherit  animal  appetites,  whieh,  if  not  restrained 
through  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  Divine  grace,  will  lead  to  sin ;  and 

*  Journal  of  George  Fox,  II.  138  to  141,  and  London  edition,  1694,  p.  358. 
f  1  John  iii.  4.  J  Rom.  v.  13. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  437 

this  carnal  nature  is  the  first-birth,  or  earliest  development  in  man  ; 
for  "  that  was  not  first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural,  and 
afterwards  that  which  is  spiritual."  1  Cor.  xv,  46.  In  order  that  man 
may  become  a  child  of  God,  he  must  be  "  born  again  of  incorruptible 
seed,  by  the  Word  [or  Spirit],  of  God,  that  liveth  and  abideth  forever." 
1  Pet.  i.  23,  15.  He  thus  becomes  "  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature." 

5.  The  Eternal  Word,  or  Spirit  of  Christ  was  with  the  children  of 
Israel  in  the  wilderness,  for,  "  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that 
followed  them,  and  that  Rock  was  Christ."* 

He  was  also  manifested  to  the  inspired  prophets,  for  in  them  "  the 
spirit  of  Christ,"  "  testified  beforehand  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and 
the  glory  that  should  follow."f 

6.  But  the  most  full  and  glorious  manifestation  of  the  Divine  Word 
or  Logos,  was  in  Jesus  Christ  the  immaculate  Son  of  God.     In  him  the 
manhood,  or  son  of  man,  was  entirely  subject  to  the  Divinity. 

The  Word  that  was  in  the  beginning  took  flesh,  or  "  was  manifested 
in  the  flesh."  "  He  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  he  took 
on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham. "J  "  Of  whom,  as  concerning  the  flesh, 
Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever."  Rom.  ix.  5.  There 
was  in  him  no  corruption,  and  the  spirit  of  evil  could  have  no  power 
over  him,  as  he  said  himself,  "  the  prince  of  this  world  cometh  and 
hath  nothing  in  me."  \ 

7.  The  object  of  his  coming  is  thus  stated  by  himself.    "  To  this  end 
was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  should 
bear  witness  unto  the  truth." ||      The  apostle  Paul  testifies  that  "God 
was  in   Christ,  reconciling  the   world   unto   himself."  ^[      And  John 
writes,  "  For  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  to  destroy 
the  works  of  the  devil."  ** 

8.  Being,  "in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are  yet  without  sin,"ff 
he  was  an  example  to  all  succeeding  generations,  "  a  man  approved  of 
God  by  miracles,  wonders  and  signs,  which  God  did  by  him."JJ     His 
powerful  preaching,  his  wonderful  miracles,  his  patience  under  suffer- 
ing, and  his    triumphant  resurrection,  are   to   be   attributed   to    the 
Divine  Word,  or  Logos,  who  dwelt  in  him.     He  said,  "  the  Father  that 
dwelleth  in  me,  he  doeth  the  works," %$  "I  can  of  mine  own  self  do 
nothing:  as  I  hear  I  judge,  and  my  judgment  is  just  because  I  seek  not 
mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me."  ||  || 

9.  His  agony  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  was  doubtless  occasioned 
by  the  sense  he  had  of  the  sins  of  mankind,  the  burden  of  which  lay 
upon  him,  and  induced  him  to  say,  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful 

*  1  Cor.  x.  4.  f  1  Pet.  i.  11.  J  Heb.  ii.  16.  g  John  xiv.  30. 

||  John  xviii.  37.        f  II.  Cor.  v.  19.        *«  1  John  iii.  8.        ft  Heb.  iv.  5. 
JJ  Acts  ii.  22.  gg  John  xiv.  10.         ||||  John  xiv.  30. 


438  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

unto  death."*  He  was  "baptized  into  death,"  he  entered  into  sym- 
pathy and  suffering  for  a  fallen  world,  "  he  humbled  himself,  and  be- 
came obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  f  His  obedi- 
ence in  drinking  the  cup  of  suffering  was  acceptable  to  God,  for  he 
"  hath  given  himself  for  us,  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  a 
sweet-smelling  savour."  J 

Before  his  crucifixion  it  was  said,  "the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given, 
because  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  §  That  is,  it  was  not  poured  forth 
so  abundantly  as  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  But  after  his  resurrection, 
"  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto 
men."  ||  "  Therefore,"  said  Peter,  "  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God 
exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this,  which  ye  now  see  and  hear."** 

It  may  therefore  be  truly  said  that  he  is  our  "  propitiation,"  "  the 
mediator  of  the  new  covenant,"  through  whom  favour  is  received. 

10.  "  By  him  we  have  now  received  the  atonement,"  ff  that  is,  the 
reconciliation;  for  says  the  apostle,  "If  when  we  were  enemies  we  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son;  much  more,  being  reconciled, 
we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  J  J    It  is  therefore  the  life,  or  in-dwelling 
power  of  Christ,  that  saves  from  sin  ;  "  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  makes  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death." \\     "Not  by 
works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy, 
he  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  he   shed   on   us   abundantly  through  Jesus   Christ  our 
Saviour,  that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs 
according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life."  |||| 

11.  Man  has  therefore  no  ability  of  his  own  to  save  himself  or  his 
fellow-man ;  for  although  the  believers  were  exhorted  by  the  apostle 
to  work  out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  "  neverthe- 
less," he  adds,  "  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
his  good  pleasure."  *** 

We  must  wait  for  the  influence  of  his  grace,  and  when  we  co-operate 
therewith,  he  will  enable  us  to  overcome  our  spiritual  enemies  ;  he  will 
feed  us  with  food  convenient  for  us,  even  that  spiritual  food  that  comes 
down  from  heaven,  and  gives  life  to  the  soul.  This  is  referred  to  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  as  his  flesh  and  his  blood,  being  the  substance  and  the  life 
communicated  through  him  to  every  living  member  of  his  body,  which 
is  the  church. 

12.  The  intimate  union  between  Christ  and  his  church  is  illustrated, 

*  Mark  xiv.  34.  f  Phil.  ii.  8.  %  Eph.  v.  2.  ?  John  vii.  39. 

]1  Eph.  iv.  8.  **  Acts  ii.  33.         ff  Rom.  v.  2.        JJ  Rom.  v.  10. 

$$  Rom.  vii.  2.  ||H  Titus  iii.  5-7.     ***  Phil.  ii.  12, 13. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  439 

in  the  epistles  of  Peter  and  Paul,  by  two  striking  similitudes.  One  is 
that  of  a  body  having  many  members,  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
head;*  the  other,  that  of  a  temple,  of  which  he  is  the  chief  corner- 
stone.f  Now  it  is  obvious  that  the  head  must  be  connected  with  the 
body,  and  the  chief  corner-stone  is  a  part  of  the  building.  Therefore 
the  conclusion  appears  to  be  inevitable,  that  the  holy  manhood  of  Christ 
— that  is,  the  soul  of  him  in  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  dwelt  without  mea- 
sure —  is  now,  and  always  will  be,  the  head  or  chief  member  of  that 
spiritual  body  which  is  made  up  of  the  faithful  servants  of  God  of  all 
ages  and  nations. 

13.  This  view  does  not  militate  against  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  which 
is  his  light  and  life  —  the  indwelling  of  divine  power  —  the  Word  or 
Logos  which  was  and  is  manifested  in  him,  and  which  through  him 
gives  life  to  all  his  members,  for  "  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him 
should  all  fulness  dwell,"  and  "  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and 
grace  for  grace."     The  life  is  often  called  in  the  scriptures  the  blood, 
for  "  the  blood  is  the  life,"  or  "  the  life  is  in  the  blood ;"  and  as  in  the 
natural  body  the  blood  conveys  nourishment  to  every  part,  and  sustains 
life  in  it,  so  in  the  spiritual  body  every  living  member  is  sustained  by 
the  life  or  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.     "  To  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the 
Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in  him,  and  one  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  by  him." 

14.  Holding  these  views,  George  Fox  truly  declared  his  belief  in  the 
scripture  testimony  concerning  the  divinity  of  Christ  and  his  Sonship, 
his  dying  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  his  acceptable  offering  or 
sacrifice,  his  being  our  propitiation  and  mediator  with  the  Father. 

15.  Nevertheless,  I  think  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  he  rejected 
the  incongruous  and  gross  ideas  generally  connected  with  the  doctrine 
of  the  Trinity,  to  wit :  That  there  are  three  separate  and  distinct  per- 
sons in  the  Godhead, — that  the  second  of  these  persons,  the  Son,  con- 
sented to  make  satisfaction  to  the  first  person,  the  Father,  by  being  put 
to  death,  in  order  to  appease  his  wrath  or  satisfy  his  justice,  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  guilty  man, — and  that  the  Father  having  imputed  our  sin  to 
the  Son,  and  inflicted  on  him  the  penalty,  now  imputes  his  righteous- 
ness to  us,  if  we  rely  upon  his  merits. 

These  unscriptural  doctrines  I  find  controverted  in  a  document  enti- 
tled "  The  Ancient  Testimony  of  the  Society  of  Friends,"  issued  in 
Philadelphia,  in  1843,  by  the  Yearly  Meeting  held  at  Mulberry  street: — 

"These  devoted  ministers  of  the  gospel,  [George  Fox  and  others],  as  it 
was  opened  to  them  in  the  primitive  purity,  accordingly  preached  in  life 
and  doctrine  the  indispensable  necessity  of  holiness,  without  which  no  man 

*  Eph.  iv.  15.     Col.  i.  8.     Rom.  xii.  4.     I.  Cor.  xii.  12. 
f  I.  Pet.  ii.  5,  and  20—22. 


440  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

shall  see  the  Lord ;  and  they  placed  justification  where  the  apostle  placed 
it,  in  connexion  with  being  washed  and  sanctified,  but  not  as  preceding 
sanctification. 

"  When  they  went  forth  in  their  ministry,  they  found  the  different  profes- 
sors pleading  for  the  impracticability  of  being  free  from  sin  in  this  life, 
while  they  considered  themselves  justified  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus; 
alleging  that  our  sins  were  imputed  to  him;  that  he  suffered,  instead  of  us, 
the  penalty  of  infinite  wrath  and  vengeance  due  to  our  sins,  and  thereby 
fully  satisfied  divine  justice ;  and  they  rested  in  the  false  hope  that  though 
they  lived  in  sin,  Christ  was  their  surety,  and  they  were  saved  by  his  im- 
puted righteousness. 

"They  argued  that,  as  God  has  made  Christ  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew 
no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in.  him  ;  therefore, 
as  our  sin  is  imputed  to  Christ,  who  had  no  sin,  so  Christ's  righteousness  is 
imputed  to  us,  without  our  being  righteous. 

"Friends  bore  a  decided  testimony  against  this  sin-pleasing  doctrine, 
declaring  that,  were  the  sentiment  admitted  that  God  was  so  reconciled 
with  men  as  to  esteem  them  just  while  they  were  unjust  and  continuing  in 
sin,  he  would  have  no  controversy  with  them,  which  would  make  void  the 
great  practical  doctrines  of  repentance,  conversion,  and  regeneration. 
Though  Christ  bore  our  sins,  and  among  men  was  accounted  a  sinner,  yet 
they  denied  that  God  ever  reputed  him  a  sinner,  or  that  he  died  that  we 
should  be  reputed  righteous,  though  no  more  really  so  than  he  was  a  sinner. 

"  They  understood  the  apostle  when  he  speaks  of  our  being  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  Christ,  to  mean  that  we  are  to  be  made  really 
righteous,  and  not  by  imputation  merely ;  for  he  argues  against  any  agree- 
ment between  righteousness  and  unrighteousness,  light  and  darkness.  Our 
Lord,  in  all  his  doctrines  and  precepts,  enforces  the  necessity  of  good 
works  ;  and  although,  properly  speaking,  we  are  not  justified  for  them,  yet 
we  are  justified  in  them,  agreeably  to  the  Apostle  James,  '  Ye  see  then  how 
that  by  works  a  man  is  justified,  and  not  by  faith  only.'  '  For  as  the  body 
without  the  spirit  is  dead,  even  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also.'  " 

SUPPLEMENT. 

In  addition  to  the  doctrines  examined  in  the  foregoing  pages,  there 
were  others  held  by  George  Fox  and  the  early  Friends,  wherein  they 
differed  from  most  other'  professors  of  Christianity,  but  concerning 
which  there  is  little  diversity  of  sentiment  among  those  who  claim  the 
name  of  Friends.  The  most  prominent  of  these  were  his  views  on 
Christian  Perfection,  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

ON    PERFECTI ON. 

In  the  narrative  of  his  life,  we  have  seen  that  his  mind  was  early 
impressed  with  the  necessity  of  seeking  after  that  "  holiness,  without 
which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

Salvation  is  not  merely  an  exemption  from  the  punishment  due  to 
sin,  but  consists  in  being  delivered  from  the  power  and  dominion  of 
evil. 

The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  not  a  cloak  to  cover  the  deformity  of 
sin,  but  a  fountain  of  healing  waters  to  purify  the  soul. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS    OF   GEORGE   FOX.  441 

In  the  writings  of  George  Fox,  there  are  many  passages  asserting  the 
doctrine  of  Perfection;  thus  he  says,  "Christ,  who  is  the  first  and  last,  sets 
man  free,  and  is  the  resurrection  of  the  just  and'  unjust,  the  judge  of  the 
quick  and  dead  ;  and  they  that  are  in  him,  are  invested  with  everlasting 
rest  and  peace,  out  of  all  the  labours  and  travails  and  miseries  of  Adam 
in  the  fall."  *  So  that  all  in  Christ  may  be  always  fresh  and  green ;  for  he 
is  the  green  tree  that  never  withers ;  all  are  fresh  and  green  that  are  grafted 
into  him,  and  abide  in  him  fresh  and  green,  and  bring  forth  heavenly,  fresh 
fruits  to  the  praise  of  God.  And  though  Adam  and  Eve  fell  from  paradise, 
the  Jews  fell  from  the  law  of  God,  and  many  of  the  Christians  fell  from 
their  prophecies,  and  erred  from  the  faith,  and  the  spirit,  and  the  grace ; 
and  the  stars  have  fallen,  as  was  spoken  of  in  the  Revelations,  yet  the 
spirit,  grace,  faith,  and  power  of  God  remains."  j- 

The  doctrine  of  Christian  perfection  is  neither  more  nor  less  than 
unreserved  obedience  to  the  divine  will,  through  perfect  love  to  God, 
which  preserves  the  soul  from  the  practice  of  sinning.  The  "  law  of 
the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,"  can  make  us  "free  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death ;"  and  through  the  operation  of  its  sanctifying  power,  we 
may  be  "  raised  into  newness  of  life,"  and  become  "  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature."  This  state  of  entire  obedience  and  perfect  love  admits, 
however,  of  a  growth  in  the  truth  ;  for  even  in  the  most  advanced  stage 
of  Christian  experience,  there  is  still  much  to  be  learned,  and  continual 
need  of  watchfulness  and  prayer. 

The  example  of  the  wise  and  good  of  every  age,  proves  .conclusively, 
that  they  who  attain  to  the  highest  advancement  in  the  spiritual  life, 
are  least  disposed  to  claim  any  merit  of  their  own ;  for,  being  admitted 
to  a  nearer  view  of  the  divine  perfections,  they  are  led  to  think  more 
humbly  of  themselves.  This  state  of  mind  is  beautifully  illustrated  in 
the  description  of  the  righteous  when  brought  before  the  judgment-seat 
of  Christ :  "  Then  shall  the  righteous  answer  him,  saying,  '  Lord,  when 
saw  we  thee  an  hungered,  and  fed  thee?  or  thirsty,  and  gave  thee 
drink  ?  when  saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in  ?  or  naked,  and 
clothed  thee?  or  when  saw  we  thee  sick  and  in1  prison,  and  came  unto 
thee  ?'  And  the  king  shall  answer  and  say  unto  them,  '  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.'  " 

BAPTISM. 

It  appears  to  have  been  the  great  work  of  George  Fox  and  the  early 
Friends,  to  draw  the  attention  of  mankind  from  a  reliance  upon  the 
outward  form,  to  an  experience  of  the  inward  power  of  religion. 

They  believed  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  the  reign  of  God  estab- 
lished in  the  soul,  and  that  his  baptism  and  supper  are  not  material, 

*  Journal,  II.  124,  and  London  edition,  1694,  p.  346. 
f  Ibid.  206.     Idem.  p.  412. 


442  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

but  spiritual ;  being  the  substance  typified  by  the  "  divers  washings  " 
under  the  la\v,  the  water  baptism  of  John,  and  the  Jewish  passover. 

In  the  primitive  Christian  church,  the  converts  from  Judaism  were 
long  tenacious  of  the  rites  in  which  they  had  been  educated.  In  rela- 
tion to  them,  George  Fox  remarks  : 

11  The  apostle  indeed  was  very  tender  of  the  people,  while  he  saw  them 
walk  in  simplicity,  as  in  the  case  of  those  that  were  scrupulous  about  meats 
and  days;  but  when  the  apostle  saw  that  some  drew  them  into  the  obser- 
vation of  days,  and  to  settle  in  such  tilings  ;  he  then  reproves  them  sharply, 
and  asks  them, '  Who  had  bewitched  them  ?'"...."  In  like  manner  he  was 
tender  concerning  the  baptizing  with  water;  but  when  he  saw  they  began 
to  make  sects  about  it,  some  crying  up  Paul,  others  Apollos,  he  judged 
them,  and  called  them  carnal,  and  thanks  God  he  had  baptized  no  more 
but  such  and  such ;  declaring  plainly  that  he  was  sent  to  preach  the  gospel, 
and  not  to  baptize ;  and  brought  them  to  the  one  baptism  by  the  one  spirit, 
into  the  one  body  which  Christ,  the  spiritual  man,  is  the  head  of;  and  ex- 
horted the  church,  '  All  to  drink  into  that  one  spirit.'  For  he  asserted  in  the 
church  the  one  faith,  which  Christ  was  the  author  of;  and  one  baptism, 
which  was  that  of  the  spirit  into  one  body ;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
was  the  spiritual  baptizer,  who  John  said  should  come  after  him."* 

The  principal  arguments  generally  advanced  for  water  baptism,  I 
propose  briefly  to  examine. 

First.  The  example  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  disciples  is  adduced  to 
prove,  that  this  ia  an  ordinance  intended  to  be  perpetuated  in  the 
Christian  church.  For,  it  is  said,  he  not  only  submitted  to  be  baptized 
by  John,  but  that  his  disciples,  while  he  was  with  them,  baptized  more 
than  John,  and  even  after  his  ascension,  and  the  effusion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  they  still  adhered  to  the  practice  of  baptizing  proselytes. 

In  answer  to  this  argument,  it  may  be  shown  that  he  and  his  disciples 
conformed  not  only  to  the  dispensation  of  John,  who  was  his  forerunner, 
but  to  that  of  Moses.  He  kept  the  Jewish  festivals,  and  doubtless  con- 
formed to  the  whole  Mosaic  law ;  for  he  directed  the  man  whom  he  had 
healed  of  leprosy,  to  go  and  show  himself  to  the  priest,  and  to  offer 
for  his  cleansing  those  things  that  Moses  commanded  for  a  testimony 
unto  them.  He  also  said  to  his  disciples,  and  to  the  people,  "  The  scribes 
and  Pharisees  sit  in  Moses'  seat ;  all,  therefore,  whatsoever  they  bid  you 
observe,  that  observe  and  do,  but  do  not  after  their  works,  for  they  say 
and  do  not." 

In  like  manner  he  submitted  to  the  water  baptism  of  John,  which 
was  of  divine  appointment,  but  intended,  like  the  ritual  of  the  law,  to 
pass  away,  and  give  place  to  the  more  glorious  dispensation  of  the 


While  John  was  baptizing  at  JEnon,  Jesus  and  his  disciples  came 

*  Journal,  New  York  Edition  of  1800,  Vol.  I.,  p.  284-5 ;  and  London  Edition, 
1694,  p.  229. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS    OF   GEORGE   FOX.  443 

unto  the  land  of  Judea  and  baptized,  that  is  to  say,  the  disciples  bap- 
tized, for  the  evangelist  states  expressly,  "  that  Jesus  himself  baptized 
not."  (John  iv.  2)  ....  "  And  when  the  Lord  knew  that  the  Pharisees 
had  heard  that  Jesus  made  and  baptized  more  disciples  than  John,  he 
left  Judea,  and  departed  into  Galilee."  Here  we  may  observe,  the 
sacred  historian  does  not  say  he  baptized  more  than  John,  but  that  the 
Pharisees  had  heard  such  a  report,  and  on  hearing  of  it,  Jesus  removed 
into  another  place,  as  if  to  contradict  it.  The  report  was  evidently 
false ;  for  how  could  his  disciples,  while  in  Judea,  have  baptized  more 
than  John,  seeing  that  "  Jerusalem  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the  region 
round  about  Jordan,  were  baptized  of  him  in  Jordan"? 

As  Christ,  while  in  the  flesh  with  his  disciples,  had  kept  the  law,  and 
commanded  them  to  observe  it,  and  had  likewise  submitted  to  the  bap- 
tism of  John,  and  permitted  them  to  administer  it,  so,  after  his  resur- 
rection, they  continued  to  keep  the  ceremonial  law,  and  to  administer 
the  water  baptism  of  John,  at  least  for  a  time. 

When  Paul  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  about  twenty-seven  years  after  the 
ascension  of  Christ,  the  disciples  said  to  him,  "  Thou  seest,  brother, 
how  many  thousands  of  Jews  there  are  which  believe,  and  they  are  all 
zealous  of  the  law."  And  Paul  condescended  to  their  prejudices  so  far 
as  to  purify  himself,  and  to  enter,  with  four  others,  into  the  temple, 
"  until  an  offering  should  be  offered  for  every  one  of  them."  It  appears, 
further,  that  Peter  was  so  filled  with  Jewish  prejudices,  eight  years  after 
the  ascension  of  Christ,  that  it  required  a  remarkable  vision  to  convince 
him  that  he  ought  to  go  into  the  house  of  Cornelius,  to  preach  the 
gospel ;  and  after  he  had  done  so,  "  They  of  the  circumcision  contended 
with  him,  saying,  '  Thou  wentest  in  unto  men  uncircumcised,  and  didst 
eat  with  them.' " 

We  are  informed,  moreover,  that  when  Peter  came  to  Antioch,  Paul 
"  withstood  him  to  the  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed.  For  before 
that  certain  came  from  James,  he  did  eat  with  the  Gentiles,  but  when 
they  were  come,  he  withdrew  and  separated  himself,  fearing  them  which 
were  of  the  circumcision." 

Water  baptism  had  been  in  use  among  the  Jews  for  the  admission  of 
proselytes,*  and  after  the  coming  of  John  the  Baptist,  it  was  held  in 
still  higher  esteem ;  "  for  all  men  counted  John  that  he  was  a  prophet 

*  "  Baptism  has  been  supposed  by  many  learned  persons  to  have  had  its  origin 
from  the  Jewish  church,  in  which,  they  maintain,  it  was  the  practice,  long  before 
Christ's  time,  to  baptize  proselytes  or  converts  to  their  faith  as  part  of  the  cere- 
mony of  their  admission.  'It  is  strange  to  me,'  says  Dr.  Doddridge,  'that  any 
man  should  doubt  of  this,  when  it  is  plain,  from  express  passages  in  the  Jewish 
law,  that  no  Jew  who  had  lived  like  a  Gentile  for  one  day,  could  be  restored  to 
the  communion  of  his  church  without  it.'  "  —  Buck's  Theo.  Diet. 


444  A  DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

indeed."  It  is  therefore  not  surprising  that  some  of  the  apostles  should 
have  administered  this  rite  to  their  early  proselytes  even  after  these 
had  received  the  baptism  of  the  spirit,  as  in  the  case  of  Cornelius ;  but 
it  was  obviously  going  back  to  the  dispensation  of  John,  after  they  had 
attained  to  the  higher  dispensation  of  Christ.  John  said  of  Christ, 
"  He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease,"  which  undoubtedly  applied 
to  the  two  dispensations ;  for  as  the  disciples  became  acquainted  with 
the  substance  and  the  life,  they  were  not  to  go  back  to  the  "  beggarly 
elements."  "Are  ye  so  foolish?"  said  Paul  to  the  Galatians;  "having 
begun  in  the  spirit,  are  ye  now  made  perfect  by  the  flesh  ?" 

Among  the  primitive  Christians,  water  baptism  was  called  the  baptism 
of  John;  in  contradistinction,  no  doubt,  to  the  spiritual  baptism  of 
Christ.  Thus  it  is  said,  "  Apollos  was  an  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in 
the  scriptures."  .  .  .  .  "  and  he  spake  and  taught  diligently  the  things 
of  the  Lord,  knowing  only  the  baptism  of  John."  .  .  .  .  "  Whom 
when  Aquila  and  Priscilla  had  heard,  they  took  him  unto  them,  and 
expounded  unto  him  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly." 

Again,  we  read  that  Paul  said  to  certain  disciples  at  Ephesus,  "  Have 
ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye  believed  ?"  They  answered,  "  We 
have  not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost."  He 
inquired,  "  Unto  what  then  were  ye  baptized  ?"  and  they  said,  "  Unto 
John's  baptism."  Then  said  Paul,  "  John  verily  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  repentance ;  saying  unto  the  people,  they  should  believe  on 
him  which  should  come  after  him,  that  is,  on  Jesus  Christ.  When 
they  heard  this,  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  on  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them  ; 
and  they  spake  with  tongues  and  prophesied." 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  concluded  by  some,  that  in  this  instance  Paul 
had  them  again  baptized  in  water,  merely  using  a  different  form  of 
words,  which  is  an  inference  not  clearly  sustained  by  the  text ;  but  if 
he  did  so,  it  must  have  been  in  condescension  to  the  feelings  or  opin- 
ions of  others,  for  he  acknowledged  that  he  had  no  commission  to 
administer  that  rite.  After  alluding  to  the  contentions  of  the  disciples 
at  Corinth,  he  thanks  God  that  he  had  baptized  but  few  among  them, 
whom  he  names,  and  then  he  declares  emphatically,  "  Christ  sent  me 
not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gospel."  1  Cor.  i.  17. 

As  Paul  planted  more  churches  than  any  of  the  apostles,  there  is 
good  reason  to  conclude  that  very  few  of  his  proselytes  from  among  the 
Gentiles  received  the  rite  of  water-baptism,  and  hence  the  example  of 
the  primitive  church  was  far  from  being  uniformly  in  favour  of  this 
rite. 

It  was  evidently  the  design  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  by  means  of  his 
example,  his  precepts,  his  sufferings,  and  the  effusion  of  the  Holy 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  445 

Spirit,  to  lead  his  disciples  from  the  outward  form  to  the  inward  life  of 
religion  ;t  and  thus,  when  the  typical  dispensation  was  fulfilled  in  them, 
as  it  had  been  in  their  Divine  master,  they  would  come  to  see  that  Christ 
has  disannulled  and  blotted  out  "the  handwriting  of  ordinances,  nailing 
it  to  his  cross." 

It  is  manifest  from  the  writings  of  the  apostle  Paul,  that  he  attained 
to  this  state  ;  and  he  queries  with  the  Colossians,  "  Wherefore  if  ye  be 
dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  why,  as  though 
living  in  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances?" 

Secondly.  The  authority  for.  the  perpetuity  of  water  baptism  is 
deduced  from  the  commission  of  Christ  to  his  apostles :  "  Go  ye  there- 
fore and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 

In  reply  to  the  inference  usually  drawn  from  this  text,  it  may  be 
observed  that  water  is  not  mentioned  therein  ;  and  the  word  '  baptizing5 
does  not  necessarily  imply  the  use  of  water.  The  inquiry  therefore 
arises,  What  baptism  did  Christ  authorise  his  disciples  to  administer  ? 
Was  it  his  own  spiritual  baptism,  or  the  typical  baptism  of  John  ?  We 
may  remember,  John  said,  "  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water  unto 
repentance ;  but  he  that  cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes 
I  am  not  worthy  to  bear ;  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  with  fire." 

And  our  Saviour,  after  his  resurrection,  said  to  his  disciples,  "  John 
truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  not  many  days  hence."  Here  are  mentioned  two  kinds  of  bap- 
tism :  one  pertaining  to  the  dispensation  of  John,  the  other  to  the  dis- 
pensation of  Christ. 

It  may  be  objected  that  no  man  can  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  there  are  numerous  instances  mentioned  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles, where,  through  their  ministry,  or  the  laying-on  of  their  hands,  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  given.  They  had  no  such  power  of  their  own,  but 
were  instruments  in  the  Divine  hand.  It  is  equally  true  that  no  man 
can  preach  the  gospel  without  Divine  assistance  ;  and  when  the  gospel 
is  preached  "  in  the  demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  of  power,"  it  has, 
on  those  who  are  willing  to  receive  it,  a  baptizing  effect ;  it  brings  them 
under  the  influence  of  that  holy  and  Divine  power  which  is  signified  by 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  the  scriptures,  the  name  of  the  Lord  is  often  used  as  synonymous 
with  his  presence  and  power;  as,  for  example,  "  Thy  name  is  as  oint- 
ment poured  forth ;"  "  That  thy  name  is  near,  thy  works  declare ;" 
"  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower;"  "By  what  power  or  by 
what  name  have  ye  done  this  ?"  "  And  his  name,  through  faith  in  his 
name,  hath  made  this  man  strong;"  "Kepent  and  be  baptized  every 


446  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ."  To  be  baptized  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  is  to  be  brought  under  the  influence  of  his  spirit ;  "  For  by 
one  spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or 
Gentiles,  whether  we  be  bond  or  free ;  and  have  been  all  made  to  drink 
into  one  spirit."  Cor.  xii.  13.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  the  Greek 
particle  («?)»  translated  "into,"  in  this  text,  and  also  in  Rom.  vi.  3,  is 
the  same  that  occurs  in  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  which  may  very  properly  be 
rendered,  "  Baptizing  them  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  If  baptism  in  water  had  been  intended 
in  this  commission,  we  might  suppose  a  literal  and  exact  compliance 
with  the  form  would  have  been  observed  ;  but  we  do  not  read  that  it  was 
so  observed  by  the  apostles  in  any  instance.  When  they  adminis- 
tered the  rite,  it  was  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  or  thg  name  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  language  in  which  Mark  records  this  commission,  corroborates 
the  view  I  have  taken  of  it.  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall 
be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  Here  salvation 
is  made  dependent  upon  belief  and  baptism  ;  but  water  not  being  men- 
tioned, we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  it  was  intended.  On  the  contrary, 
there  are  conclusive  reasons  for  believing  it  was  not  material,  but 
spiritual  baptism  to  which  he  alluded ;  for  this  alone  can  save  the  soul. 
Peter  tells  us  plainly  that  water  baptism  does  not  save ;  for,  after  speak- 
ing of  the  eight  souls  "  saved  by  water,"  in  the  ark,  he  says  "  the  like 
figure  [or  rather*  the  anti-type*]  wherennto  even  baptism  doth  also 
now  save  us  (not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  an- 
swer of  a  good  conscience  toward  God),  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ."  1  Pet.  iii.  21. 

Simon  Magus  believed  and  was  baptized  with  water,  but  not  with 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  yet  he  was  so  far  from  being  saved,  that  Peter  told  him 
"  he  was  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  the  bond  of  iniquity." 

Paul  attributes  salvation  to  "  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  re- 
newing of  the  Holy  Ghost."  He  says,  moreover,  "  As  many  of  you  as 
have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ,"  which  certainly 
implies  a  change  of  heart,  that  no  outward  baptism  could  effect. 

Thirdly.  The  advocates  of  water  baptism  cite  in  proof  of  their  doc- 
trine the  expression  of  Christ,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of 
the  spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

Here  the  context  shows  that  he  was  not  treating  of  baptism,  but  of 
the  new  birth ;  and  he  adds,  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh, 

*  Anti-type,  the  original  word,  should  have  been  retained  here :  it  means, 
"  That  of  which  the  type  is  the  representative." — JOHNSON. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS    OF   GEORGE   FOX.  447 

and  that  which  is  born  of  the  spirit  is  spirit."  Water  is  coupled  with 
the  spirit  to  illustrate  its  purifying  operation,  in  like  manner  as  fire  is 
coupled  with  it  in  the  description  of  Christ's  baptism,  "  He  shall  bap- 
tize with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire."  It  cannot  be  supposed  that 
material  fire  is  here  intended,  and  there  is  no  more  reason  to  conclude 
that  material  water  is  alluded  to  in  the  text  under  consideration.  The 
water  which  changes  the  heart  is  synonymous  with  the  Holy  Spirit, — 
it  is  that  living  water  which,  whosoever  drinketh,  shall  never  thirst. 

Fourthly.  It  is  argued  that,  as  circumcision  was  the  seal  of  the  old 
covenant,  water  baptism  is  the  seal  of  the  new  covenant,  and  the  rite 
prescribed  for  the  admission  of  members  into  the  church.  But  there  is 
no  scriptural  authority  for  this  conclusion ;  the  only  seal  of  the  new 
covenant  mentioned  by  Christ  or  his  apostles  is,  "  The  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption."  The  only 
badge  of  discipleship  required  by  the  Divine  Teacher  consisted  of  the 
fruits  of  the  spirit.  "Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits."  "By  this 
shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love  one  to 
another." 

Under  the  Christian  dispensation  there  are  not  two  baptisms,  but  one 
only,  as  the  Apostle  Paul  testifies,  "  There  is  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism."  Can  there  be  any  doubt  that  this  is  the  spiritual  baptism 
of  Christ,  comparable  to  "  unquenchable  fire,"  which  burns  up  the  chaff, 
while  the  wheat  is  gathered  into  the  garner  ?  or  like  the  refiner's  furnace, 
in  which  the  dross  and  tin  are  consumed,  while  the  pure  gold  remains 
and  constitutes  the  treasure  of  the  heavenly  kingdom  ?" 

If  water-baptism  be  a  Christian  ordinance,  as  many  allege,  the  inquiry 
may  arise,  Who  is  divinely  appointed  to  administer  it?  Shall  we  go  to 
those  priests  who  claim  the  right  by  apostolic  succession,  when  we  know 
that  the  Papal  hierarchy,  through  which  they  pretend  to  derive  it,  was 
utterly  corrupt  and  apostate  for  a  thousand  years  ?  Or  shall  we  admit 
the  plea  that  a  commission  to  preach,  derived  from  human  ordination, 
includes  authority  to  baptize ;  when  we  read  in  the  scriptures  that  the 
apostle  Paul,  who  had  a  real  commission  from  on  high  to  preach  the 
gospel,  was  not  sent  to  baptize  with  water  ? 

Let  us  consider,  moreover,  how  many  millions  of  infants  die  without 
water-baptism.  Can  we  suppose  that  all  these  are  lost  for  want  of  a 
rite  which  they  were  not  capable  of  desiring  or  appreciating?  There 
is,  in  the  scriptures,  no  instance  mentioned  of  infants  being  thus  bap- 
tized, nor  indeed  of  adults,  born  of  Christian  parents.  These  were 
considered  already  members  of  the  church,  by  birthright,  as  may  be 
inferred  from  the  language  of  Paul.  "  The  unbelieving  husband  is  sanc- 
tified by  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  husband, 
else  were  your  children  unclean,  but  now  are  they  holy."  1  Cor.  vii.  14. 


448  A   DISSERTATION   ON   THE 

In  many  cases,  but  probably  not  in  all,  water-baptism  was  adminis- 
tered to  proselytes  from  among  the  Jews  and  heathens,  in  conformity 
with  a  usage  among  the  Jews,  and  likewise  in  accordance  with  the 
example  of  John  the  Baptist ;  hence  it  was  called  John's  baptism. 
There  is  no  evidence  that  it  was  an  institution  of  Christ,  nor  is  it  likely 
that  he  who  "  blotted  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances,"  would  have 
instituted  other  carnal  ordinances  in  their  stead ;  or  that  he  whose  bap- 
tism was  the  anti-type  of  John's,  should  have  directed  the  continuance 
of  that  decreasing  typical  dispensation. 

THE   LORD'S   SUPPER. 

This  rite  was  not  regarded  by  George  Fox  as  a  permanent  institu- 
tion, but  as  pertaining  to  the  Jewish  passover,  which  Christ  ate  with 
his  disciples. 

He  says  in  his  Journal,  "  A  great  deal  of  work  we  had  with  the  priests 
and  professors  about  this,  and  about  the  several  modes  of  receiving  it  in 
Christendom,  so  called;  for  some  of  them  take  it  kneeling,  some  sitting; 
but  none  of  them  all,  that  ever  I  could  find,  take  it  as  the  disciples  took  it. 
For  they  took  it  in  a  chamber  after  supper ;  but  these  generally  take  it 
before  dinner;  and  some  say,  after  the  priest  hath  blessed  it,  it  is  "Christ's 
body."  But  as  to  the  matter,  Christ  said,  '  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me.' 
He  did  not  tell  them  how  oft  they  should  do  it.  or  how  long ;  neither  did  he 
enjoin  them  to  do  it  always  as  long  as  they  lived,  or  that  all  believers  in 
him  should  do  it  to  the  world's  end.  The  apostle  Paul,  who  was  not  con- 
verted until  after  Christ's  death,  tells  the  Corinthians,  that  he  had  received 
of  the  Lord  that  which  he  delivered  unto  them  concerning  this  matter,  and 
relates  Christ's  words  concerning  the  cup  thus :  '  This  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye 
drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me;'  and  himself  adds,  'For  [as  often  as]  ye 
do  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he 
come.'  So,  according  to  what  the  apostle  here  delivers,  neither  Christ  nor 
he  did  enjoin  people  to  do  this  always,  but  leaves  it  to  their  liberty  [as  oft 
as  ye  drink  it,  &c].  The  Jews  did  use  to  take  a  cup,  and  to  break  bread 
and  divide  it  among  them  in  their  feasts,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  Jewish 
Antiquities ;  so  the  breaking  of  bread  and  drinking  of  wine  were  Jewish 
rites,  which  were  not  to  last  always."* 

To  show  that  the  supper  which  Christ  ate  with  his  disciples  was  not 
a  new  ceremony,  nor  an  ordinance  to  be  perpetuated  in  his  church,  the 
following  considerations  are  offered : 

First.  It  was  the  Jewish  Passover  which  they  partook  of;  for  he  said, 
"  Go  into  the  city  to  such  a  man,  and  say  unto  him,  I  will  keep  the 
Passover  at  thy  house  with  my  disciples."  Accordingly,  the  supper 
eaten  among  the  primitive  Christians  was  in  imitation  of  it.  Moshiem 
informs  us  that,  "  both  the  Asiatic  churches,  and  those  of  Home,  fasted 
during  the  great  week  (so  that  was  called  in  which  Christ  died),  and 
afterwards  celebrated,  like  the  Jews,  a  sacred  feast ;  at  which  they  dis- 

*  Journal,  Vol.  L,  p.  285-6 ;  and  First  London  Edition,  p.  230. 


DOCTRINAL   VIEWS   OF   GEORGE   FOX.  449 

tributed  a  paschal  lamb,  in  memory  of  the  holy  supper."  The  eastern 
and  western  churches  differed  about  the  time  and  manner  of  observing 
this  ceremony ;  whence  arose  bitter  disputes  and  much  bloodshed  after 
the  church  became  corrupted.  If  the  supper  which  Christ  ate  with  his 
disciples,  and  which  was  imitated  by  the  primitive  churches,  was  in- 
tended to  be  observed  as  a  permanent  ordinance,  who  has  a  right  tq 
alter  its  form,  or  to  omit  some  of  its  most  interesting  features,  or  to 
substitute  for  it  another  ceremony  ? 

Secondly.  "  The  apostle  says,  Acts  x.  41,  '  They  did  eat  and  drink 
with  Christ  after  he  rose  from  the  dead.'  And  so  they  fulfilled  Christ's 
words,  that  he  would  eat  no  more  of  the  bread,  nor  drink  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine,  until  he  drank  it  new  with  them  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Mark  xiv.  25.  And  again,  Christ  said,  '  There  are  some  standing  here 
which  shall  not  taste  of  death  until  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in 
his  kingdom  and  power.'  Matt.  xvi.  28.  And  was  not  this  fulfilled 
after  Christ  was  risen,  when  he  said,  'All  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is 
given  unto  me  ?'  Then  did  he  not  come  in  power,  and  did  not  the  dis- 
ciples see  him  in  his  kingdom,  after  his  resurrection?"* 

Thirdly.  If  any  part  of  the  ceremony  observed  by  Christ  and  his 
apostles  on  that  occasion,  was  enjoined  by  him  as  a  new  institution,  it 
was  certainly  the  washing  of  feet ;  for  he  said,  "  If  I  then,  your  Lord 
and  master,  have  washed  your  feet,  ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's 
feet.  For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have 
done  to  you."  John,  xiii.  14,  15.  This  part  of  the  ceremony,  expres- 
sive of  humility  and  purity  of  life,  is  omitted  by  nearly  all  Christendom. 

Fourthly.  Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  "  I  will  not  leave  you  comfort- 
less— I  will  come  to  you,"  and  "  Lo  !  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world."  This  was,  to  them,  the  second  appearance  of 
Christ.  And  to  every  regenerated  soul  he  still  appears  in  spirit,  and  is 
that  substance  and  life  which  fulfils  all  the  shadows  and  ceremonies 
of  the  law,  and  sets  free  from  them. 

In  a  tract  written  by  George  Fox  to  show  the  distinction  between  the 
two  suppers  of  Christ — namely,  that  of  the  Passover,  which  he  ate  with 
his  disciples,  and  that  which  is  mentioned  in  the  third  chapter  of  Reve- 
lations— he  says:  ''After  that  Christ  was  ascended,  and  sat  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  and  the  churches  were  gathered,  as  yet  they  were  not 
come  off  from  many  outward  elementary  things.  And  did  not  Christ 
send  John  after  he  was  ascended,  to  call  the  church  to  another  supper, 
and  said,  "Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock:  if  any  man  will  hear 
my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with 

*  George  Fox's  Works,  VI.  283. 
29 


450  A   DISSERTATION. 

him,  and  he  with  me ;  he  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  spirit  saith  unto  the  churches"  ? 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  observed  in  relation  to  these  two  rites  of 
water  baptism  and  the  eucharist,  that  George  Fox  had  the  same  reason 
for  their  disuse  that  Paul  had,  when  he  thanked  God  that  he  had  bap- 
tized so  few  among  the  Corinthians. 

They  have  given  rise  to  sectarian  distinctions ;  and,  in  all  ages  of  the 
Christian  church,  there  has  been  much  controversy  in  relation  to  the 
form  of  their  observance.  And,  moreover,  there  has  been  too  much 
stress  laid  upon  them,  as  though  they  had,  in  themselves,  some  saving 
efficacy.  To  water-baptism  has  been  attributed  the  regenerating  effect 
which  the  spirit  of  Christ  alone  can  produce ;  and  the  symbols  of  bread 
and  wine  are  even  now  regarded,  by  a  large  part  of  Christendom,  as 
being,  when  consecrated  by  the  priest,  the  very  body  and  blood  of 
Christ. 

It  was,  therefore,  needful  for  the  progress  of  truth,  that  these  perni- 
cious errors  should  be  exploded;  and  there  was  perhaps  no  way  so 
effectual  as  their  entire  disuse  by  a  body  of  self-denying,  practical 
Christians.  As  king  Hezekiah  "brake  in  pieces  the  brazen  serpent 
which  Moses  had  made,"  because  the  children  of  Israel  burnt  incense 
to  it,"  so  did  George  Fox,  from  a  persuasion  of  religious  duty,  abstain 
from  the  observance  of  ordinances  not  required  under  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation, and  which  had  been  the  means  of  withdrawing  the  attention 
of  many  from  the  inward  washing  of  regeneration,  and  from  that  bread 
of  life  which  comes  down  from  Heaven,  and  sustains  the  soul. 


OX   THE 


VIEWS   OF   GEORGE  FOX 


CONCERNING 


CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES. 


CONTENTS. 


On  the  Christian  Ministry    .    .    .    Page  452 

Divine  Worship 456 

Public  Fasts,  Thanksgivings,  and  Holy- 
days     459 

Religious  Liberty 460 

War  and  Military  Services 461 

Capital  Punishments,  &e 463 


Oaths 465 

Slavery 466 

Temperance 472 

Dress  and  Address,  Amusements,  <fec. .    .  473 

Music,  Painting,  Ac. 475 

Conclusion 476 


A  DISSERTATION  ON  THE  VIEWS  OF  GEORGE  FOX 
CONCERNING   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES. 

IT  is  interesting  and  instructive  to  trace,  in  the  life  and  religious 
experience  of  George  Fox,  the  germ,  if  not  the  full  development  of 
those  noble  testimonies  borne  by  the  Society  of  Friends,  which  are 
universally  acknowledged  to  have  had  an  important  influence  in  alle- 
viating the  sufferings,  and  promoting  the  happiness  of  man.  When  we 
consider  the  growth  of  religious  liberty  in  Europe,  and  its  firm  estab- 
lishment in  this  country ;  when  we  hear  of  the  many  enlightened 
minds  throughout  Christendom,  who  are  using  their  influence  to  advo- 
cate the  principles  of  peace ;  when  we  learn  the  progress  that  has  been 
made,  within  the  last  century,  in  mitigating  the  cruelties  of  slavery, 
and  promoting  its  extinction ;  when  we  witness  the  blessed  effects  that 
flow  from  temperance,  and  are  informed  of  the  successful  efforts  em- 
ployed to  improve  the  condition  and  discipline  of  prisons ;  we  cannot 
but  believe  that  they  who  were  the  pioneers  in  these,  and  other  kin- 
dred reformations,  were  instruments  in  the  divine  hand  to  promote  his 
own  beneficent  purposes. 

(451) 


452  A   DISSERTATION 

Christianity,  considered  as  an  inward  and  life-giving  principle,  is  the 
root  from  which  these,  and  all  moral  reformations,  must  spring.  To 
him,  therefore,  the  blessed  Son  of  God,  who  "  brought  life  and  immor- 
tality to  light  through  the  gospel,"  must  be  attributed  all  the  glorious 
results  which  flow  from  the  gift  of  God  through  him. 

It  was  not  long,  however,  before  that  light  which  shone  so  brightly 
in  the  morning  of  the  gospel  day,  was  obscured  by  the  clouds  of  super- 
stition, or  shut  out  by  the  barriers  of  human  invention.  After  a  long 
night  of  apostacy,  the  light  began  to  arise  once  more  with  the  Protes- 
tant Reformation  ;  but  some  of  those  who  were  first  to  hail  with  joy  its 
dawning  brightness,  were  more  intent  in  speculating  upon  the  causes 
which  had  obstructed  its  progress,  than  upon  applying  its  discoveries 
to  the  promotion  of  practical  righteousness.  "While  Doctors  of  Divin- 
ity and  Professors  of  Theology  were  earnestly  engaged  in  a  polemic 
warfare  concerning  abstruse  points  of  doctrine,  the  mind  of  George 
Fox,  remarkable  for  clearness  of  perception,  and  simple  obedience  to 
manifested  duty,  went  more  directly  to  the  mark,  and  solved  some  of 
the  most  interesting  problems  of  human  existence. 

The  happiness  of  man  and  his  progress  in  the  spiritual  life,  depend 
less  upon  his  opinions,  and  more  upon  his  principles,  than  is  generally 
believed.  Opinions  concerning  controverted  points  of  Theology, — once 
considered  so  essential  to  salvation, — have,  when  maintained  without 
charity,  led  to  endless  debates  and  frequent  strife  ;  but  the  principles 
of  righteousness  implanted  by  the  Most  High  and  nourished  by  his 
grace,  are  of  a  practical  nature,  and  bring  forth  those  blessed  fruits 
which  redound  to  his  praise. 

The  principles  of  Christianity  may  appropriately  be  divided  into  two 
classes ;  Doctrines  and  Testimonies.  The  most  prominent  and  impor- 
tant of  its  doctrines  having  been  examined  in  the  preceding  Disserta- 
tion, I  now  proceed  to  consider  its  Testimonies,  as  borne  by  George 
Fox,  and  subsequently  advanced  by  his  successors  in  the  Society  of 
Friends. 

The  word  Testimony  has  acquired  among  Friends  a  meaning  some- 
what technical,  but  in  strict  accordance  with  its  signification  in  several 
passages  of  the  sacred  volume.  In  this  sense  it  means  an  open  attesta- 
tion or  profession  of  some  moral  or  religious  principle,  and  is  gene- 
rally applied  to  those  which  have  a  practical  bearing  on  the  conduct  of 
life. 

ON    THE    CHRISTIAN     MINISTRY. 

One  of  the  earliest  testimonies  developed  in  the  religious  experience 
of  George  Fox,  was  against  a  ministry  founded  on  human  authority, 
relying  for  its  qualifications  on  human  abilities,  or  learning,  and  main- 


ON   CHKISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  453 

tained  by  pecuniary  support.  This  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  greatest 
evils  in  Christendom,  and  the  source  whence  other  evils  of  great  magni- 
tude have  issued. 

When  it  was  first  made  known  to  him,  while  walking  alone  in  the 
fields,  that  "  to  be  bred  at  Oxford  or  Cambridge,  was  not  enough  to  fit 
and  qualify  men  to  be  ministers  of  Christ,"  he  wondered  at  it,  for  such 
was  the  belief  in  which  he  had  been  educated.  And  as  he  advanced 
further  in  religious  experience,  being  himself  inwardly  called,  by  the 
great  Head  of  the  Church,  to  testify  unto  others  that  "  which  his  eyes 
had  seen  and  his  hands  had  handled  of  the  word  of  life,"  he  perceived 
more  clearly  that  the  gospel  ministry  is  a  divine  gift,  which  can  only 
be  rightly  exercised  by  continual  dependence  on  the  giver. 

In  a  treatise,  "  concerning  primitive  ordination  and  succession,"  he 
shows  conclusively,  that,  "  to  succeed  the  apostles  in  the  same  Holy 
Ghost,  power  and  life,  that  they  were  in,  is  the  only  true  succession  ; 
for  it  signifies  nothing  to  have  the  writings  or  deeds  for  an  estate,  un- 
less we  come  into  the  possession  of  it." 

If,  like  the  Israelites,  the  Christian  traveller  is  not  permitted  to  eat 
of  the  manna  which  was  gathered  yesterday,  but  must  rely  upon  God 
for  daily  bread  to  sustain  the  soul,  is  it  not  equally  needful  that  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel,  who  are  called  to  hand  forth  food  to  others,  should 
administer  only  the  bread  which  Christ  hath  blessed,  and  appointed  for 
each  particular  occ  ion?  As  the  apostle  "filled  up  that  which  is  be- 
hind of  the  afflictions  of  Christ,  for  his  body's  sake  which  is  the  church," 
so  must  the  true  ministers  of  the  gospel  be  baptized  at  times,  into  a 
feeling  of  the  state  of  the  people.  This  inward  and  spiritual  exercise 
was  often  allotted  to  George  Fox,  and  to  the  other  ministers  who  labour- 
ed with  him.  Sometimes,  when  assembled  for  Divine  worship,  they 
were  required  to  wait  long  in  silence,  in  order  "  to  famish  the  people 
from  words ;"  thus  teaching  them,  by  example,  to  seek  within  them- 
selves for  the  power  and  life  of  the  gospel. 

The  remarkable  success  of  their  ministry,  cannot  be  attributed 
merely  to  the  force  of  their  arguments,  or  to  the  power  of  their  elocu- 
tion ;  but  rather  to  that  divine  unction  which  attended  them,  adapting 
their  discourses  to  the  states  of  the  people,  and  appealing  to  the  witness 
for  truth  in  the  hearts  of  their  auditors.  Without  this  holy  unction, 
the  most  learned  and  eloquent  ministry  is  vain  and  unprofitable  ;  with 
it,  the  most  illiterate  may  become  instrumental  in  leading  the  soul  to 
God. 

Nevertheless,  the  early  Friends  did  not  despise  or  neglect  the  advan- 
tage of  mental  culture.  They  acknowledged  the  evident  intention  of  the 
Most  High,  that  all  His  gifts  should  be  improved,  and  that  in  the  pro- 
per use  and  cultivation  of  our  intellectual  powers,  while  keeping  them 


454  A   DISSERTATION 

subservient  to  his  spiritual  law,  we  advance  our  own  happiness  and  be- 
come better  qualified  to  promote  the  welfare  of  others. 

It  was  not  education  to  which  they  objected  ;  for  many  among  them 
were  well  instructed  in  literature  and  science,  and  they  advised  that 
all  children  should  be  instructed  in  useful  learning,  to  prepare  them 
for  the  duties  of  life.  It  was  theological  education  as  a  preparation  for 
the  ministry,  which  received  their  decided  condemnation. 

Every  sincere  Christian  who  reads  his  bible  and  attends  to  the  minis- 
trations of  Divine  grace  in  his  own  soul,  is  as  capable  of  understand- 
ing the  great  truths  of  spiritual  religion,  as  the  most  learned  priest  or 
theologian.  Nay,  he  is  more  susceptible  of  religious  progress ;  for 
nothing  has  tended  more  to  mar  the  beautiful  simplicity  of  Christian- 
ity, than  the  false  glosses  and  endless  controversies  of  scholastic  theo- 
logy. It  is  alleged,  that  after  the  Protestant  Reformation,  Theology 
assumed  a  very  different  aspect,  and  has  further  improved  since  the 
days  of  George  Fox ;  the  studies  now  pursued  being  of  a  much  more 
practical  tendency.  Admitting  this  to  be  true,  it  will  be  found  on 
examination,  that  the  root  of  the  old  tree,  which  has  borne  such  bitter 
fruits,  still  remains.  The  ministry,  in  most  of  the  churches  in  Chris- 
tendom, is  restricted  to  those  who  have  gone  through  a  theological 
training.  Without  this  training,  and  a  form  of  human  ordination,  the 
highest  spiritual  gifts  are  not  considered  a  sufficient  qualification  for 
the  office.  The  whole  of  the  female  sex,  although  acknowledged  to  be 
the  purer  part  of  the  church,  are  excluded  from  the  ministry ;  and  yet 
it  is  evident  that  females  were  authorized  to  prophecy  or  preach  in  the 
primitive  church. 

Now  let  us  reflect  on  the  consequences  that  have  ensued,  and  must 
always  follow,  from  such  unwarrantable  attempts  to  restrain  the  opera- 
tions of  divine  grace.  If  a  woman  of  acknowledged  piety  believes  her- 
self called  to  the  ministry  in  one  of  those  churches,  she  is  not  even 
allowed  to  offer  her  gift,  or  to  make  proof  of  her  calling.  The  language 
of  Paul  concerning  the  inquisitive  women  of  Corinth,  who  probably 
disturbed  the  church  with  questions,  and  were  advised  to."  ask  their 
husbands  at  home,"  is  generally  applied  to  prohibit  all  service  of  females 
in  public  worship  (except  in  singing) ;  not  considering,  that  in  the  same 
epistle  the  apostle  directs  the  manner  to  be  observed  by  women  while 
praying  or  prophesying.*  By  this  perversion  of  the  text,  women  are 
denied  that  Christian  liberty  which  the  gospel  confers,  and  the  church 
is  deprived  of  their  valuable  services.  The  prophecy  of  Joel,  quoted 
by  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  was  evidently  applied  to  the  Christian 
church  :  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith  God,  I  will 

*  1  Cor.  xiv.  34,  35,  and  xi.  5. 


ON   CHRISTIAN  TESTIMONIES.  455 

pour  out  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh,  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  prophesy."* 

In  most  of  the  churches  of  Christendom,  if  a  man  of  religious  expe- 
rience and  acknowledged  piety  should  feel  impelled,  by  a  sense  of  duty, 
to  express  that  which  he  believes  has  been  given  him  for  the  benefit  of 
others,  he  is  not  allowed  to  open  his  mouth  in  the  congregation,  unless 
he  belong  to  the  rank  of  the  clergy.  And,  moreover,  should  he  feel 
himself  called  to  the  Christian  ministry,  he  must,  before  he  can  exercise 
his  gift,  spend  years  in  the  study  of  theology,  pursuing  a  course  marked 
out  for  him  ;  not  exploring  the  broad  field  of  religious  knowledge,  but 
walking  in  a  path  hedged  up  on  either  side  by  the  rank  growth  of  sec- 
tarian dogmas. 

The  division  of  the  church  into  two  classes,  clergy  and  laity,  which 
finds  no  sanction  in  apostolic  usage,  has  had  a  powerful  influence  in 
restraining  the  progress  of  Christian  liberty.  Like  orders  of  nobility 
in  a  state,  it  is  well  calculated  to  perpetuate  ancient  usurpations,  and 
to  secure  the  reign  of  ecclesiastical  domination.  The  titles  assumed  by 
the  clergy,  such  as  Reverend,  Right  Reverend,  Holy  Father,  &c.,  have 
all  sprung  from  that  corrupt  root  in  the  human  heart  to  which  the  gos- 
pel axe  should  be  applied ;  and  it  was  in  allusion  to  such  titles,  that 
Jesus  Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Be  ye  not  called  Rabbi ;  for  one  is 
your  master,  even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren." 

Another  branch  of  the  same  corrupt  system  is  the  receiving  of  money 
as  a  compensation  for  preaching.  When  Christ  sent  forth  his  disciples, 
without  purse  or  scrip,  saying,  "  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give  ;" 
he  certainly  did  not  mean  that  they  should  make  merchandize  of  the 
gospel.  It  is  indeed  true  that  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,  and 
it  is  reasonable  that  they  who  hire  should  pay  him.  But  ministers  who 
go  forth  at  Christ's  command,  having  his  free  gospel  to  preach,  receive 
full  compensation  from  the  head  of  the  church,  and  are  not  dependent 
on  man  for  their  reward. 

As  in  the  outward  and  shadowy  dispensation,  they  who  ministered 
at  the  altar  lived  from  the  altar,  partaking  of  the  same  outward  sub- 
stance which  they  offered,  so,  in  strict  analogy,  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  live  by  the  gospel,  being  sustained  in  the  inward  life  by  a  por- 
tion of  the  same  spiritual  food  they  hand  forth  to  others.  The  apostles 
did  not  receive  salaries  for  preaching,  nor  even  gifts,  as  a  compensation 
for  their  services,  but  they  wrought  with  their  own  hands  to  supply 
their  natural  wants.  They  were  indeed  authorized  to  seek,  in  their 
travels,  those  who  were  worthy,  and  there  to  "  abide,  eating  such  things 
as  were  set  before  them  ;"f  but  this  privilege  belonged  to  every  member 

*  Acts  ii.  17.  f  Matt.  x.  11;  Luke  x.  8. 


456  A   DISSERTATION 

of  the  Christian  church,  for  all  were  regarded  as  brethren  and  sisters. 
It  appears,  however,  that  in  some  places  Paul  was  so  scrupulous  that 
he  would  not  use  even  this  "  power  to  eat  and  to  drink,"  or,  in  other 
words,  to  live  at  the  houses  of  the  brethren,  and  thus  to  "  reap  their 
carnal  things."  This  reasonable  privilege  he  illustrates  by  reference 
to  the  legal  provision,  "  Thou  shall;  not  muzzle  the  ox  that  treadeth  out 
the  corn." 

But  he  "  used  none  of  these  things ;"  he  was  willing  "  to  suffer  all 
things,  lest  he  should  hinder  the  gospel  of  Christ,"  making  it,  "  with- 
out charge,"  and  not  abusing  his  power  in  the  gospel.*  In  his  memor- 
able address  to  the  elders  of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  after  warning  them 
of  the  grievous  wolves  that  should  enter  in  among  them,  not  sparing 
the  flock,  he  refers  to  his  own  self-denying  example,  saying,  "  I  have 
coveted  no  man's  silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel ;  yea,  ye  yourselves  know 
that  these  hands  have  ministered  to  my  necessities,  and  to  them  that 
were  with  me.  I  have  showed  you  all  things,  how  that  so  labouring 
ye  ought  to  support  the  weak,  and  to  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  how  he  said,  '  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.'  "  f 

What  enormous  evils  have  been  brought  upon  the  Christian  church 
by  departing  from  this  beautiful  and  consistent  example  !  'VYitness  the 
poverty  and  degradation  of  Italy,  Spain,  and  Portugal, — studded  with 
convents,  and  adorned  with  splendid  cathedrals,  but  polluted  with 
licentiousness,  oppressed  by  priests,  and  overrun  by  beggars.  Even  in 
Protestant  England,  the  hierarchy  sits  like  an  incubus  on  the  breast  of 
the  state,  and  threatens  her  destruction.  Happy  was  it  for  her,  and 
for  the  cause  of  religious  liberty  throughout  the  world,  that  Divine 
Providence  raised  up  those  numerous  sects  of  dissenters,  who,  in  various 
degrees,  have  approached  nearer  than  the  established  church  to  the  doc- 
trines and  discipline  of  Christianity,  and  thus  have  been  the  means  of 
mitigating  the  evils  that  always  flow  from  a  union  of  church  and  state. 
Among  these  dissenting  churches,  none  have  been  so  consistent  and 
effective  in  their  opposition  to  ecclesiastical  domination  as  the  Society 
of  Friends. 

DIVINE     WORSH I  P. 

The  public  worship  of  Almighty  God  is  the  most  solemn  service  in 
which  the  human  mind  can  be  engaged,  and  has  always  been  regarded 
by  the  Society  of  Friends  as  a  testimony  of  primary  importance.  It  is 
an  open  profession  of  our  allegiance  to  the  King  of  kings,  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  our  dependence  upon  his  bounty  and  protection,  and  a 
necessary  preparation  for  all  other  religious  duties.  It  is  only  as  we 
preserve  our  connection  with  the  great  Head  of  the  Church,  through 

*  1  Cor.  ix.  4,  9,  11, 18.  t  Acts  xx-  33»  35. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  457 

the  invisible  and  eternal  bond  of  the  Spirit,  that  we  can  grow  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

He  has  left  for  all  his  disciples  the  gracious  promise,  "  Where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 
them." 

He  is  the  true  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls,  and  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  George  Fox,  still  maintained  by  the  Society  of  Friends, 
Christ  teaches  his  people  himself,  "  through  the  influence  of  his  light, 
spirit,  and  power."  It  cannot  be  supposed  by  an  enlightened  mind, 
that  outward  observances  have  in  themselves  any  efficacy  to  secure 
Divine  favour.  God  looks  at  the  heart,  and  regards  with  favour  every 
sigh  that  proceeds  from  a  contrite  spirit, — every  aspiration  that  ascends 
from  an  humble,  devoted  soul. 

Although  in  the  infancy  of  our  race,  after  man  by  transgression  had 
lost  the  Divine  image,  outward  sacrifices  were  offered  as  tokens  or 
means  of  reconciliation,  and  were  subsequently  authorized  by  the 
Mosaic  law ;  yet  these  "  carnal  ordinances,"  that  "  could  not  make  him 
that  did  the  service  perfect  as  pertaineth  to  the  conscience,"  were  only 
imposed  until  the  time  of  reformation,  and  were  abrogated  by  the 
coming  of  Christ.  His  law  is  spiritual ;  and  his  kingdom  being  estab- 
lished in  the  hearts  of  his  faithful  followers,  needs  not  those  outward 
symbols  which  pertained  to  the  ritual  of  the  legal  dispensation. 

God  dwells  not  in  temples  made  with  hands,  neither  is  he  worshipped 
with  men's  hands,  as  though  he  needed  anything.  The  sacrifice  which 
he  requires  is  a  contrite  heart,  and  the  smoke  of  the  incense  that 
ascends  up  before  him  is  the  prayers  of  the  saints. 

It  is  alleged  in  defence  of  ceremonial  observances,  that  they  are 
adapted  to  the  weakness  of  our  nature,  and  serve  to  fix  the  attention  in 
time  of  public  service.  But  there  is  reason  to  apprehend  that,  by  fixing 
the  attention  on  that  which  is  outward,  they  withdraw  it  from  inward 
and  spiritual  communion.  Even  the  singing  of  hymns,  or  psalms,  may 
have  this  tendency,  especially  when  sung  by  persons  to  whose  condi- 
tions they  are  not  adapted.  The  best  among  Christians  are  not  always 
in  a  state  of  preparation  to  engage  in  vocal  supplication,  or  to  sing  the 
praises  of  God  ;  and  for  those  who  are  profane  or  indifferent  to  spiritual 
things,  to  take  an  active  part  in  this  public  service,  is  but  a  solemn 
mockery  that  must  obstruct  the  great  purpose  of  divine  worship. 

"The  Christian  dispensation,"  says  Clarkson,  "requires  that  all  worship 
should  be  performed  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  It  requires  that  no  act  of  re- 
ligion should  take  place,  unless  the  spirit  influences  an  utterance;  and  that 
no  words  should  be  used  except  they  are  in  unison  with  the  heart. 

"  Now  this  coincidence  of  spiritual  impulse  and  feeling  with  this  act,  is 
not  likely  to  happen  with  public  psalmody.  It  is  not  likely  that  all  in  the 


458  A   DISSERTATION 

congregation  will  be  impelled  in  the  same  moment  to  a  spiritual  song,  or 
that  all  will  be  in  the  same  mind  or  spirit  which  the  words  of  the  psalm 
describe.  Thus  how  few  will  be  able  to  sing  truly,  with  David,  if  the  fol- 
lowing verse  should  be  brought  before  then},  '  as  the  heart  panteth  after  the 
water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  0  God  !' " 

"To  this  may  be  added,  that  where  men  think  about  musical  harmony,  or 
vocal  tunes  in  their  worship,  the  amusement  of  the  creature  will  be  so 
mixed  up  with  it,  that  it  cannot  be  a  pure  oblation  of  the  spirit:  and  that 
those  who  think  they  can  please  the  Divine  Being  by  musical  instruments, 
or  the  varied  modulations  of  their  own  voices,  must  look  upon  Him  as  a 
being  with  corporeal  organs,  sensible  like  a  man  of  fleshly  delights,  and  not 
as  a  spirit,  who  can  only  be  pleased  witli  the  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 

The  influence  of  music  on  the  passions  is  undoubtedly  great  —  but 
transient.  It  may  be  made  to  excite  or  to  soothe  them  ;  but  it  appears 
to  have  no  power  to  effect  their  subjugation.  Even  the  melody  of 
David's  harp  could  only  allay  for  awhile  the  evil  spirit  of  Saul ;  it  had 
no  power  to  subdue  his  inordinate  affections,  or  to  change  his  corrupt 
heart.  The  remarks  made  by  Herschell,  a  converted  Jew,  on  visiting 
his  fatherland,  seem  appropriate  to  this  subject.  After  showing  the 
spiritual  nature  of  Christian  worship,  he  thus  proceeds : 

"I  firmly  believe,  that  if  we  seek  to  affect  the  mind  by  the  aid  of  archi- 
tecture, painting  or  music,  the  impression  produced  by  these  adjuncts  is  just 
so  much  substracted  from  the  worship  of  the  unseen  Jehovah.  If  the  out- 
ward eye  is  taken  up  with  material  splendour,  or  forms  of  external  beauty, 
the  mind's  eye  sees  but  little  of  '  Him  who  is  invisible ;'  the  ear  that  is  en- 
tranced with  the  melody  of  sweet  sounds,  listens  not  to  the  '  still  small 
voice  '  by  which  the  Lord  makes  his  presence  known."  * 

The  primitive  Friends  were  mostly  persons  who  had  made  a  profes- 
sion of  religion  in  other  churches.  They  had  experienced  the  unsatis- 
fying nature  of  ordinances  and  worship  performed  in  the  will  of  man; 
their  hearts  panted  for  a  nearer  communion  with  God,  and  this  they 
found  by  introversion  of  mind,  and  silent  worship.  They  were  fre- 
quently instructed  by  George  Fox  to  '  hold  all  their  meetings  in  the 
power  of  God."  With  this  purpose  they  sat  down  together  in  silence, 
endeavouring  to  withdraw  their  thoughts  from  all  earthly  objects,  and 
to  attain  that  stillness  of  the  soul  in  which  the  impressions  of  Divine 
grace  may  be  felt,  and  the  voice  of  the  true  Shepherd  distinguished  from 
the  voice  of  the  stranger. 

As  we  come  under  the  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  our 
hearts  are  brought  into  communion  with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son, 
and  into  fellowship  one  with  another.  It  was  said  by  the  Divine  Master, 
"whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  Heaven,  the  same 
is  my  brother  and  sister,  and  mother."  This  holy  relationship,  which 
springs  from  the  regenerating  influence  of  Divine  grace,  is  the  most 

*  Friends'  Review,  I.  236. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  459 

endearing  tie  that  can  bind  us  to  each  other.  When  brought  fully 
under  its  government,  we  shall  feel  bound  to  assemble  ourselves  together 
for  the  worship  of  our  heavenly  Father,  not  merely  as  a  duty  incumbent 
on  us,  but  as  the  source  of  our  highest  and  purest  enjoyment.  While 
\ve  acknowledge  that  Divine  worship  may  be  acceptably  performed  at 
our  own  firesides,  or  while  our  hands  are  employed  in  our  usual  avoca- 
tions, yet  we  know  by  blessed  experience  that  strength  is  afforded  by 
the  presence  and  sympathy  one  of  another,  when  we  meet  together  in 
the  right  spirit,  for  the  public  worship  of  God.  It  is  then  the  live  coals 
that  had  been  scattered  are  brought  into  mutual  influence,  increasing 
the  glow  and  warmth  of  devotion ;  then  the  living  stones  are  brought 
together  of  which  the  temple  of  the  Lord  is  built,  where  his  holy  influ- 
ence and  presence  are  felt,  and  his  pure  worship  known  to  our  unspeak- 
able joy.* 

PUBLIC    FASTS,    THANKSGIVINGS,    AND    HOLY    DAYS. 

Although  George  Fox,  on  several  occasions,  fasted  from  a  persuasion 
of  religious  duty,  yet  he  clearly  saw  that  those  public  or  national  fasts 
proclaimed  by  the  civil  or  ecclesiastical  authorities,  being  ordered  in  the 
will  of  man,  without  divine  authority,  are  not  conducive  to  vital  reli- 
gion, nor  acceptable  to  God.  Against  such  a  fast,  proclaimed  by 
authority  of  Cromwell,  he  felt  bound  openly  to  testify ;  saying, 

"  This  is  not  the  fast  that  the  Lord  requires, '  To  bow  down  the  head  like 
a  bulrush  for  a  day,'  and  the  day  following  be  in  the  same  condition  as  they 
were  the  day  before.  To  the  light  of  Christ  Jesus  in  your  consciences  do  I 
speak,  which  testifieth  for  God  every  day,  and  witnesseth  against  all  sin 
and  persecution  ;  which  measure  of  God,  if  ye  be  guided  by  it,  doth  not  limit 
God  to  a  day,  but  leads  to  the  fast  the  Lord  requires,  which  is,  'to  loose  the 
bonds  of  wickedness,  to  undo  the  heavy  burdens,  to  break  every  yoke  and 
let  the  oppressed  go  free.'  This  is  the  fast  the  Lord  requires,  and  this 
stands  not  in  the  transmission  of  times,  nor  in  the  traditions  of  men.''f 

Appointed  days  for  public  rejoicing  and  thanksgiving,  are  equally 
obnoxious  to  censure ;  being  an  unwarrantable  interference  with  reli- 
gious liberty,  and  generally  attended  with  pernicious  consequences, 
through  the  excessive  indulgence  of  the  appetites  in  eating  and  drink- 
ing. When  we  consider,  moreover,  that  the  days  appointed  for  public 
thanksgiving,  have  in  many  instances  been  set  apart  to  celebrate  mar- 
tial achievements,  and  victories  in  which  thousands  of  our  fellow- 
creatures  were  slain  by  the  warrior's  sword,  we  must  acknowledge  that 
such  demonstrations  are  inconsistent  with  the  religion  of  our  holy 
Redeemer,  whose  kingdom  is  established  in  righteousness  and  peace. 

*  Epistle  of  Bait.  Yearly  Meeting,  1851. 
f  George  Fox's  Journal,  II.  370. 


460  A   DISSERTATION 

On  such  occasions,  there  is  great  cause  for  mourning  and  humiliation, 
in  "witnessing  the  wide  departure  from  Christian  principles  on  the  part 
of  some  who  profess  to  he  the  disciples  of  Christ. 

The  Society  of  Friends,  being  persuaded  that  no  religious  act  can  be 
acceptable  to  God  unless  produced  by  the  influence  and  assistance  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  cannot  consistently  join  with  any  in  the  observance  of 
public  fasts,  feasts,  or  holy-days. 

"  Though  exterior  observances  of  a  similar  kind  were  once  authorized 
under  the  law,  as  shadows  of  things  to  come,  yet  they  who  come  to  Christ 
will  assuredly  find  that  in  him  all  shadows  end."* 

The  Apostle  Paul  thus  expostulates  with  some  who  had  fallen  from  the 
true  faith  in  these  respects :  "  But  now  after  that  ye  have  known  God,  how 
turn  ye  again  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  elements,  whereuntoye  desire  again 
to  be  in  bondage  Ye  observe  days  and  months,  and  times  and  years.  I 
am  afraid  of  you  lest  I  have  bestowed  upon  you  labour  in  vain."  f 

"Let  no  man  judge  you,  in  meat  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  a  holyday, 
or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  Sabbath  days;  which  are  a  shadow  of  things 
to  come,  but  the  body  is  of  Christ."  J 

"We,"  says  Barclay,  "not  seeing  any  ground  in  scripture  for  it,  cannot  be 
so  superstitious  as  to  believe  that  either  the  Jewish  Sabbath  now  continues, 
or  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  the  anti-type  thereof,  or  the  true  Chris- 
tian Sabbath;  which,  with  Calvin,  we  believe  to  have  a  more  spiritual 
sense:  and  therefore  we  know  no  moral  obligation  by  the  fourth  command- 
ment, or  elsewhere,  to  keep  the  first  clay  of  the  week,  more  than  any  other, 
or  any  holiness  inherent  in  it."  "But  first,  forasmuch  as  it  is  necessary  that 
there  be  some  time  set  apart  for  the  saints  to  meet  together  to  wait  upon 
God  ;  and  that  secondly,  it  is  fit  at  sometimes  they  be  freed  from  their  other 
outward  affairs;  and  that  thirdly,  reason  and  equity  doth  allow  that  ser- 
vants and  beasts  have  some  time  allowed  them,  to  be  eased  from  their  con- 
tinual labour;  and  that,  fourthly,  it  appears  that  the  Apostles  and  primitive 
Christians  did  use  the  first  day  of  the  week  for  these  purposes;  we  find 
ourselves  sufficiently  moved  for  these  causes  to  do  so  also,  without  super- 
stitiously  straining  the  scriptures  for  another  reason :  which  that  it  is  not 
there  to  be  found,  many  Protestants,  yea,  Calvin  himself,  upon  the  fourth 
command  hath  abundantly  evinced.  And  though  we  therefore  meet,  and 
abstain  from  working  upon  this  day,  yet  doth  not  that  hinder  us  from 
having  meetings  also  for  worship  at  other  times."  § 

ON    RELIGIOUS    LIBERTY. 

The  primitive  Friends  were  the  most  consistent  and  efficient  advo- 
cates of  religious  liberty.  They  granted  to  others,  in  its  fullest  extent, 
that  which  they  claimed  for  themselves, — freedom  to  worship  God 
according  to  their  convictions  of  duty.  The  other  dissenters  in  Eng- 
land, while  claiming  toleration  for  themselves,  and  for  most  of  the  Pro- 
testant sects,  generally  concurred  with  the  Established  Church  in 
denying  its  extension  to  the  Roman  Catholics :  but  the  Friends  could 

*  Discipline  of  Baltimore  Yearly  Meeting,  p.  26. 

t  Gal.  ir.  9—11.  J  Col.  ii.  16,  17. 

$  Barclay's  Apology,  Prop.  XL,  $  IV. 


ON   CHKISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  461 

make  no  stich  distinctions, — they  held  that  the  sovereignty  of  conscience 
belongs  to  God,  and  that  no  human  power  has  a  right  to  invade  it. 
Other  Protestant  Churches,  while  suffering  under  persecution,  had 
advocated  the  doctrine  of  religious  toleration  ;  but  when  they  attained 
to  power,  they  too  generally  forgot  their  liberal  professions.  The 
Friends,  in  their  government  of  Pennsylvania,  secured  religious  liberty 
to  all,  not  placing  it  on  the  ground  of  humane  toleration,  but  establish- 
ing it  as  an  inherent  right. 

"It  has,  perhaps,  been  scarcely  enough  remarked,"  says  a  late  writer  in 
the  Edinburgh  Review,  "  that  with  the  Quakers  alone,  of  all  Christian  com- 
munities, religious  freedom  is  matter  of  faith,  not  matter  of  opinion.  Other 
churches  have  advocated  toleration  because  they  did  not  like  being  perse- 
cuted— through  policy, — through  confidence  in  a  just  cause, — through  a  mild 
and  Christian  spirit  j  or  simply  through  lukewarmness ;  the  Quakers  alone 
with  the  unswerving  earnestness  of  men  who  oombat  for  their  creed." 

But,  while  asserting  the  freedom  of  conscience  in  all  that  relates  to 
religious  duty,  they  did  not  seek  to  screen  from  legal  punishment,  those 
who,  under  pretence  of  religion,  violated  the  moral  law ;  nor  did  they 
deny  the  right  of  the  church  to  admonish  its  members  for  dereliction  of 
duty,  and  to  exclude  from  its  communion,  such  impenitent  offenders  as 
could  not  be  reclaimed. 

ON    WAR    AND     MILITARY    SERVICES. 

That  war  is  inconsistent  with  the  principles  of  Christianity,  appears 
to  have  become  a  settled  conviction  in  the  mind  of  George  Fox,  at  an 
early  period  in  his  religious  experience.  When  he  was  twenty  years 
of  age,  he  was  much  grieved  at  hearing  a  proposition,  that  he  should 
become  a  soldier  in  the  auxiliary  band  ;  and  two  years  later,  while  con- 
fined in  the  house  of  correction  at  Derby,  he  refused  to  accept  a  cap- 
taincy which  was  offered  him  in  the  Parliamentary  army. 

"I  told  them,"  he  writes  in  his  journal,  "from  whence  all  wars  arose, 
even  from  the  lusts,  according  to  James'  doctrine;  and  that  I  lived  in  the 
virtue  of  that  life  and  power  that  took  away  the  occasion  of  all  wars."  In 
a  declaration  of  the  Society  of  Friends  presented  to  the  king  in  1660,  and 
preserved  in  the  journal  of  George  Fox,  they  say:  "Our  principle  is,  and 
our  practices  have  always  been,  to  seek  peace  and  ensue  it,  to  follow  after 
righteousness  and  the  knowledge  of  God,  seeking  the  good  and  welfare,  and 
doing  that  which  tends  to  the  peace  of  all.  We  know  that  wars  and  fight- 
ings proceed  from  the  lusts  of  men,  out  of  which  lusts  the  Lord  hath  re- 
deemed us,  and  so  out  of  the  occasion  of  war." 

"Our  weapons  are  spiritual,  not  carnal,  yet  mighty  through  God,  to  the 
pulling  down  of  the  strong  holds  of  sin  and  Satan,  who  is  the  author  of 
wars,  fighting,  murder  and  plots.  Our  swords  are  broken  into  ploughshares, 
and  spears  into  pruning-hooks,  as  prophesied  of  in  Micah,  iv.  Therefore 
we  cannot  learn  war  any  more,  neither  rise  up  against  nation  or  kingdom 
with  outward  weapons."  * 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  I.  421-425. 


462  A   DISSERTATION 

The  precepts  of  Christ  in  his  sermon  on  the  mount,  requiring  us  to 
love  our  enemies,  and  to  do  good  to  them  that  hate  us,  have  always 
been  accepted  by  Friends  in  their  plain  and  obvious  meaning,  as  a  pro- 
hibition, not  only  of  revenge,  but  of  all  those  principles  and  passions 
which  lead  to  war.  Christianity,  as  taught  and  exemplified  by  the  Son 
of  God,  is  emphatically  a  religion  of  love ;  it  ascribes  "  Glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,"  and  breathes  "  peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men." 
God  is  love,  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him.  The  effect  of  Divine  Love  when  cherished  and  obeyed  without 
reserve,  is  to  cast  out  or  subdue  all  that  is  opposed  to  its  own  nature  ; 
there  can  be  no  enmity  or  strife  where  it  prevails,  for  he  who  loves  God 
supremely,  is  led  by  the  same  principle,  to  love  his  neighbour  as  him- 
self; and  while  under  this  holy  influence,  he  is  more  willing  to  suffer 
injury,  than  to  inflict  it  upon  others.* 

It  is  the  Christian's  duty  to  suffer  rather  than  contend,  to  "  overcome 
evil  with  good,"  and  to  subdue  hatred  by  love.  The  wisdom  of  God  is 
manifest  in  this,  that  the  greatest  triumphs  of  Christianity  have  been 
achieved  through  suffering :  for  nothing  is  so  effectual,  in  subduing  the 
fierce  passions  of  men,  as  the  meekness  and  patience  of  those  who  are 
fully  imbued  with  the  Christian  spirit.  Love  is  the  proper  and  only 
efficient  antagonist  of  hatred.  As  well  might  we  expect  to  extinguish 
fire  by  adding  fuel,  as  to  extinguish  the  spirit  of  war,  by  exhibiting  or 
using  the  weapons  of  destruction. 

It  is  a  well-established  historical  fact,  that  Christians  during  the  first 
two  centuries  did  not  bear  arms,  but  maintained  the  doctrine  that  war 
is  forbidden  under  the  gospel. 

"Tertullian,  in  alluding  to  a  large  portion  of  the  Roman  armies,  after 
Christianity  had  been  widely  spread  over  the  world,  expressly  assures  us, 
that  'not  a  Christian  could  be  found  among  them.'" 

"Irenaeus,  Justin  Martyr,  and  others,  furnish  conclusive  evidence  that  the 
Christians  of  their  day  bore  the  most  ample  testimony  to  the  incompatibility 
of  war  with  the  religion  of  the  gospel — and  that  many  of  them  sealed  their 
testimony  with  their  blood.  Clemens  of  Alexandria  speaks  of  Christians 
as  'the  followers  of  peace,'  and  says  expressly,  that  they  'used  none  of  the 
implements  of  war.'  Lactantius,  another  early  Christian,  alleges,  that  'it 
can  never  be  lawful  for  a  righteous  man  to  go  to  war.' ''  "The  evidence 
upon  this  point  is  fully  sustained  by  the  early  opponents  of  Christianity. 
Celsus,  who  lived  towards  the  close  of  the  second  century,  accuses  the  Chris- 
tians of  his  day,  'of  refusing  to  bear  arms,  even  in  cases  of  necessity.' 
Origen,  the  defender  of  Christianity,  does  not  deny,  but  admits  the  fact,  and 
justifies  it  on  the  ground  that  war  was  unlawful."  f 

The  ancient  Waldenses,  and  the  Bohemian  Brethren, — forerunners 
of  the  Protestant  Reformation, — maintained  the  same  doctrine,  and 

*  Baltimore  Yearly  Meeting  Epistle,  1851. 

f  Friends'  Review,  I.  338 ;  and  Dymond  on  War,  Clarkson,  &c. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  463 

thousands  of  them  laid  down  their  lives  in  martyrdom,  rather  than 
resort  to  warlike  weapons  for  their  defence. 

Let  those  who  profess  to  be  the  ministers  and  disciples  of  Christ  only 
embrace  and  inculcate  this  doctrine  ;  then  may  we  hope  to  see  an  end 
of  those  vast  armaments  by  which  Christendom  is  now  oppressed,  and 
the  adoption  of  measures  for  the  preservation  of  peace,  more  consistent 
with  the  precepts  and  example  of  our  holy  Eedeemer. 

If  it  be  objected  that  a  nation,  by  assuming  a  peaceable  attitude,  and 
forbearing  to  provide  military  defences,  would  invite  aggression,  and 
fall  a  prey  to  the  rapacity  of  its  neighbours,  we  need  only  point  to  the 
early  history  of  Pennsylvania,  where,  for  seventy  years,  peace,  secu- 
rity, and  unexampled  happiness  were  enjoyed,  by  adhering  to  the 
peaceable  principles  of  Christianity,  although  surrounded  by  savages 
inured  to  war.  Those  who  profess  the  Christian  name,  are  too  generally 
deficient  in  the  Christian  spirit ;  and  there  is  a  great  want  of  faith  in 
the  providence  of  God,  who  watches  over  us  continually,  and  causes  all 
things  to  work  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  him. 

Militia  trainings,  or  musters,  being  a  preparation  for  war,  and  an 
avowal  of  warlike  intentions,  are  considered,  by  the  religious  Society 
of  Friends,  a  violation  of  Christian  principles.  The  fines  levied  for 
non-attendance  at  musters,  being  also  considered  an  equivalent  for 
military  service,  and  not  as  an  ordinary  tax  levied  upon  all,  they  can- 
not voluntarily  pay  such  levies ;  and  therefore  suffer  the  distraining  of 
their  goods  as  a  result  of  their  Christian  testimony  against  war. 

ON   CAPITAL   PUNISHMENTS,  THE   REFORMATION   OF   CRIMINALS,  AND 
TREATMENT   OF    THE    INSANE. 

George  Fox,  during  his  first  imprisonment  at  Derby,  having  refused 
to  accept  the  offer  of  a  commission  in  the  army,  was  thrust  into  that 
part  of  the  jail  allotted  to  felons;  and  here  his  mind  became  painfully 
exercised  concerning  the  practice  of  putting  men  to  death  for  larceny. 

He  wrote  to  the  judges,  showing  that  the  death  penalty  for  such 
offences,  was  contrary  to  the  scriptures,  and  to  the  spirit  of  God,  which 
leads  to  judgment  and  mercy.  It  is  not  certain  that  his  mind  was  then 
brought  to  see  the  impropriety  of  capital  punishments  in  all  cases,  but 
this  was  the  germ  of  that  religious  concern  for  the  reformation  of 
criminals,  and  the  substitution  of  confinement  with  labour,  instead  of 
the  death  penalty,  which,  originating  with  the  Society  of  Friends,  has 
spread  and  extended  its  influence,  until  it  has  been  felt,  in  some  degree, 
throughout  Christendom. 

The  criminal  code  of  England  was  then  extremely  severe,  and  public 
executions,  even  for  minor  offences,  were  very  frequent.  The  Friends 


464  A   DISSERTATION 

of  Pennsylvania  exempted  from  the  penalty  of  death  about  two  hundred 
offences,  which  were  capitally  punished  under  the  laws  of  England.* 

They  reserved  the  death  penalty  for  wilful  murder  only,  which,  per- 
haps, was  as  far  as  they  could  then  advance ;  for  all  their  lawa  were 
subject  to  revision  by  the  British  government.  Subsequently,  they  saw 
further,  and  becoming  fully  convinced  that  society  has  no  right  to  cut 
short  the  term  of  human  life,  they  were  among  the  first  to  advocate  the 
abolition  of  capital  punishments. 

The  argument  for  this  measure  may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows : 

The  proper  ends  of  punishment  in  all  criminal  cases  are :  First,  to 
reform  the  offender :  secondly,  to  deter  others  from  crime :  thirdly,  to 
obtain  restitution  or  compensation.!  Society  has  no  more  right  than 
individuals,  to  execute  vengeance  upon  its  offending  members.  "  Avenge 
not  yourselves,"  says  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  "  but  rather  give  place 
unto  wrath  :  '  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay/  saith  the  Lord." 

The  death  penalty  can  neither  reform  the  criminal,  nor  procure  resti- 
tution. Of  the  three  ends  proposed,  it  can,  at  best,  effect  but  one,  that 
is,  to  deter  others  from  crime.  How  far  it  subserves  this  purpose,  has 
of  late  years  become  a  subject  of  serious  examination,  and  many  reflect- 
ing minds  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion,  that  it  tends  to  promote  crime, 
rather  than  prevent  it. 

It  was  remarked  by  Elizabeth  Fry,  who  had  great  opportunities  of 
observation  among  prisoners,  that  "  the  frequent  public  destruction  of 
life  has  a  fearfully  hardening  effect  upon  those  whom  it  is  intended  to 
intimidate. 

"  While  it  excites  in  them  the  spirit  of  revenge,  it  seldom  fails  to  lower 
their  estimate  of  the  life  of  man,  and  renders  them  less  afraid  of  taking  it 
away  in  their  turn,  by  acts  of  personal  violence."  ....  "  Capital  con- 
victs," she  says,  "pacify  their  conscience  with  the  dangerous  and  most  fal- 
lacious notion,  that  the  violent  death  which  awaits  them,  will  serve  as  a 
full  atonement  for  all  their  sins."  J 

We  may  urge,  as  another  objection  to  the  death  penalty,  that  it  is 
irrevocable.  If  an  innocent  man  suffers,  society  cannot  restore  him  to 
life,  and  it  is  well  known  that,  through  the  uncertainty  of  evidence,  many 
such  have  been  executed.  A  third  objection  is,  that  criminals  often  escape 
all  punishment,  through  the  repugnance  of  jurors  to  find  a  verdict  in 
capital  cases ;  whereas,  if  the  penalty  were  imprisonment  at  labour,  for 
a  length  of  time  proportioned  to  the  offence,  convictions  would  be  more 
certain,  and  all  the  ends  of  punitive  justice  would  be  attained. 

The  penitentiary  system,  and  other  means  adopted  for  the  reformation 

*  J.  R.  Tyson's  address  on  the  200th  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Penn. 

f  See  Dymond's  Essay  on  Morality,  III.  chap.  XIII. 

J  Observations  on  the  Visiting,  &c.,  of  Female  Prisoners,  quoted  by  Dymond. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  465 

of  criminals,  have  claimed  a  large  share  of  attention  from  the  Society 
of  Friends,  both  in  England  and  the  United  States,  and  their  assiduous 
eiforts  have  not  been  without  encouraging  results.  Perhaps  no  philan- 
thropic efforts  have  ever  attracted  more  attention,  or  been  attended  with 
happier  effects,  than  the  visits  of  Elizabeth  Fry  to  Newgate,  and  other 
prisons  of  Great  Britain. 

The  treatment  of  the  insane,  for  the  improvement  of  their  condition, 
having  originated  in  the  same  philanthropic  feelings,  may  be  appro- 
priately noticed  here. 

About  the  year  1794,  an  asylum  for  the  insane,  called  the  Retreat, 
was  built  by  the*  Friends  in  England,  and  a  system  of  mild  treatment 
commenced,  which  was  so  humane  and  successful  as  to  attract  general 
attention.* 

Prior  to  that  time,  the  insane  were  everywhere  governed  by  harsh  and 
coercive  treatment,  which  arose  from  erroneous  views  of  the  malady. 
It  was  then  considered  incurable,  and  even  contagious ;  hence  the  more 
violent  were  terribly  coerced,  and  the  melancholic  were  left  to  their  own 
insane  ideas.  The  gentle  measures  pursued  in  Friends'  Retreat,  and  the 
means  adopted  to  promote  the  comfort  and  quietude  of  their  patients, 
had  the  happiest  tendency  in  allaying  excitement,  and  restoring  tran- 
quillity to  their  perturbed  minds.  Other  institutions  followed  their  ex- 
ample, and  from  that  period  is  dated  a  new  era  in  the  treatment  of  the 
insane. 


At  the  time  when  the  Society  of  Friends  arose,  there  were  frequent 
and  radical  changes  in  the  British  government,  to  secure  which,  oaths 
of  allegiance  and  supremacy,  often  inconsistent  with  each  other,  were 
imposed  upon  the  people.  These  oaths,  and  all  others,  George  Fox  felt 
bound  to  decline,  being  persuaded  that  swearing,  in  all  cases,  and  in 
every  form,  is  inconsistent  with  the  precepts  of  Christ,  and  the  spirit 
of  the  gospel. 

Convinced  of  the  demoralizing  tendency  of  this  practice,  he  wrote  to 
the  court  at  Derby,  during  his  imprisonment  there,  in  the  year  1650, 
admonishing  them  to  "  take  heed  of  imposing  false  oaths  upon  the  peo- 
ple, or  making  them  take  oaths  which  they  could  not  perform." 

He  subsequently  gave  forth  a  paper  at  the  Lancaster  assizes,  showing 
that  swearing  is  positively  forbidden  by  "  our  Lord  and  Master,  who 
says,  '  Swear  not  at  all ;  but  let  your  communication  be  yea,  yea,  and 
nay,  nay :  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil.'  "  This  is 
also  corroborated  by  that  injunction  of  the  apostle  James,  "  My  breth- 

*  London  "Friend,"  6th  month,  1852. 

30 


466  A   DISSERTATION 

ren,  above  all  things  swear  not,  neither  by  heaven,  nor  by  earth,  nor 
by  any  other  oath,  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation."  These  precepts  of 
Christ  and  his  apostle,  were  understood  literally,  and  without  limita- 
tion, by  the  primitive  Christians,  and  being  so  accepted  by  the  Society 
of  Friends,  they  felt  bound  to  bear  an  uncompromising  testimony  against 
oaths  of  every  kind.  This  testimony  subjected  them  to  great  sufferings 
and  long  imprisonments,  but  their  faith  enabled  them  to  wear  out  the 
rod  of  persecution  by  patiently  enduring  its  infliction,  until  the  laws 
were  modified  and  relief  afforded. 
The  argument  against  oaths  may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows : 

1.  They  have  a  demoralizing  tendency.    By  making  too  great  a  dis- 
tinction between  a  falsehood  when  under  oath,  and  a  departure  from 
veracity  at  other  times,  the  abhorrence  which  ought  to  be  felt  for  lying 
is  diminished  in  public  opinion. 

2.  They  are  unnecessary.     For  if  the  same  penalties,  and  the  same 
abhorrence  which  are  now  attached  to  perjury,  were  attached  to  false- 
hood in  judicial  cases,  a  solemn  affirmation  would  answer  all  the  pur- 
poses of  swearing. 

3.  They  lead  to  irreverence.    For  it  is  presumptuous  to  summon  the 
Most  High  as  a  witness  on  trivial  occasions,  and  a  proper  sense  of  his 
omnipresence  should  deter  us  from  invoking  his  holy  name  on  any 
occasion,  except  in  acts  of  devotion. 

4.  But  if  no  other  objection  existed,  the  prohibition  of  our  Saviour 
is  sufficient. 

Under  the  Mosaic  law,  swearing,  like  divorce,  and  some  other  evils, 
was  permitted,  "  because  of  the  hardness  of  their  hearts ;"  but  Jesus 
Christ  refers  to  that  law,  and  adds,  "  I  say  unto  you,  swear  not  at  all," 
&c. 

SLAVERY. 

The  prominent  part  taken  by  the  religious  Society  of  Friends,  in 
opposing  the  practice  and  principle  of  slavery,  will  justify  a  particular 
notice  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  this  testimony. 

Fifty  years  before  the  colonization  of  the  British  provinces  in  North 
America,  a  traffic  in  negro  slaves  had  been  established  by  the  Euro- 
peans. Spain  and  Portugal  took  the  lead  in  this  nefarious  business, 
but  the  English  were  soon  after  engaged  in  it ;  and  Queen  Elizabeth 
herself  condescended  to  share,  with  her  Admiral,  Sir  John  Hawkins, 
the  profits  of  supplying  the  Spanish  colonies  with  the  unhappy  victims 
of  his  marauding  expeditions  on  the  African  coast. 

The  first  importation  of  slaves  into  the  British  North  American  colo- 
nies, was  by  the  Dutch,  who,  in  the  year  1620,  entered  the  James  river, 
in  Virginia,  and  landed  twenty  Africans  for  sale.* 

*  Bancroft's  U.  S.,  L  176. 


ON   CHRISTIAN  TESTIMONIES.  467 

At  the  time  when  the  Society  of  Friends  arose,  the  number  of  slaves 
in  some  of  the  British  provinces  was  already  considerable.  Between 
the  years  1655  and  1658,  a  number  of  Friends,  on  religious  missions, 
visited  Barbadoes,  New  England,  New  York,  Virginia,  and  Maryland ; 
in  all  of  which  colonies  some  of  the  inhabitants  were  convinced  of 
their  principles. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  after  the  settlement  of  New  Jersey  and 
Pennsylvania,  toward  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  that  Friends 
became  numerous  in  any  of  the  provinces.  Some  of  their  proselytes 
were  probably  owners  of  slaves,  and  others  of  their  members,  who  had 
recently  emigrated  from  Europe,  were  induced,  by  the  habits  of  thought 
then  prevailing,  and  the  supposed  convenience  of  slave  labour,  to  pur- 
chase and  hold  the  African  captives  brought  to  their  shores.  It  is 
remarked  by  Clarkson,  in  his  "Portraiture  of  Quakerism,"  that  "George 
Fox  was  probably  the  first  person  who  publicly  declared  against  this 
species  of  slavery;  for  nothing  that  could  be  deplored  by  humanity 
seems  to  have  escaped  his  eye."  The  earliest  advice  issued  on  this 
subject,  appears  to  have  been  the  counsel  he  gave,  in  1671,  to  Friends 
in  Barbadoes :  « 

"  Respecting  their  negroes,  I  desired  them,"  he  says  in  his  journal,  "  to 
endeavour  to  train  them  up  in  the  fear  of  God,  as  well  those  that  were 
bought  with  their  money  as  them  that  were  born  in  their  families,  that  all 
might  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord ;  that  so,  with  Joshua,  every 
member  of  a  family  might  say,  'As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the 
Lord.'  I  desired  also  that  they  would  cause  their  overseers  to  deal  mildly 
and  gently  with  their  negroes,  and  not  use  cruelty  towards  them,  as  the 
manner  of  some  hath  been  and  is,  and  that  after  certain  years  of  servitude, 
they  should  make  them  free."  * 

In  a  public  discourse  spoken  in  that  Island,  he  bears  the  following 
remarkable  testimony : 

"  Let  me  tell  you,  it  will  doubtless  be  very  acceptable  to  the  Lord,  if  so 
be  that  masters  of  families  here  would  deal  so  with  their  servants,  the 
negroes  and  blacks,  whom  they  have  bought  with  their  money,  [as]  to  let 
them  go  free  after  they  have  served  faithfully  a  considerable  term  of  years, 
be  it  thirty  years  after,  more  or  less,  and  when  they  go  and  are  made  free, 
let  them  not  go  away  empty-handed.*' 

About  four  years  later,  William  Edmundson  addressed  an  epistle  to 
Friends  of  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  other  parts  of  America,  which  con- 
tains the  following  passage : 

"  And  must  not  negroes  feel  and  partake  the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  that 
they  may  be  won  to  the  gospel  ?  Is  there  no  year  of  jubilee  for  them  ? 
Did  not  God  make  us  all  of  one  mould?  And  did  not  Jesus  Christ  shed 
his  blood  for  us  all?"  ....  "And  Christ's  command  is  to  do  to  others  as 

*  George  Fox's  Journal,  II.  134. 


\ 

468  A   DISSERTATION 

we  would  have  them  to  do  to  us;  and  which  of  you  all  would  have  the 
blacks  or  others  to  make  you  their  slaves  without  hope  or  expectation  of 
freedom  or  liberty?  Would  not  this  be  an  aggravation  upon  your  minds 
that  would  outbalance  all  other  comforts  ?  So  make  their  conditions  your 
own ;  for  a  good  conscience  void  of  offence,  is  of  more  worth  than  all  the 
world,  and  Truth  must  regulate  all  wrongs  and  wrong  dealing."  * 

At  a  Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey, 
held  in  1688,  a  paper  was  presented  by  some  German  Friends  from 
Kreisheim,  settled  near  Germantown,  "  concerning  the  lawfulness  and 
unlawfulness  of  buying  and  keeping  negroes."  No  action  was  taken 
upon  it  at  that  time,  but  in  1696,  the  Yearly  Meeting  advised  its  mem- 
bers "  not  to  encourage  the  bringing  in  any  more  negroes ;  and  that 
such  that  have  negroes,  be  careful  of  them,  bring  them  to  meetings 
with  them  in  their  families,  and  restrain  them  from  loose  and  lewd 
living  as  much  as  in  them  lies,  and  from  rambling  abroad  on  First-days 
and  other  days." 

William  Penn  mourned  over  the  state  of  the  slaves,  but  his  eiforts  to 
meliorate  their  condition  by  legal  enactments  were  defeated  in  the 
House  of  Assembly.f 

He  made  provision  for  the  liberation  of  the  few  slaves  in  his  posses- 
sion, and  he  brought  the  subject  before  the  Monthly  Meeting  of  Friends 
in  Philadelphia,  in  the  year  1700,  when  a  minute  was  made,  directing 
that  the  negroes  and  Indians  should  be  encouraged  to  attend  Friends' 
Meetings,  and  that  meetings  should  be  appointed  for  the  colored  people 
once  a  month. 

In  1715,  Friends  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  in  their  Yearly 
Meeting,  came  to  the  conclusion,  to  disown  any  of  their  members  who 
should  be  concerned  in  the  importation  of  slaves,  and  advices  were 
issued  that  "  All  Friends  who  have  or  keep  negroes,  do  use  and  treat 
them  with  humanity,  and  a  Christian  spirit :  and  that  all  do  forbear 
judging  or  reflecting  on  one  another,  either  in  public  or  private,  con- 
cerning the  detaining  or  keeping  them  servants."  J 

In  1729,  the  subject  of  slave-holding  was  again  revived  in  the  Yearly 
Meeting  by  a  minute  from  Chester  Monthly  Meeting,  and  further  ad- 
vices issued. 

From  this  time  forward,  it  claimed  the  frequent  and  earnest  attention 
of  Friends,  until  1754,  when  John  Woolman  published  his  "  Considera- 
tions on  the  keeping  of  Negroes,"  which  greatly  accelerated  the  progress 
of  this  important  testimony. 

The  writings  of  Woolman  on  this  subject,  are  among  the  best  that 
have  ever  been  produced.  They  abound  with  pertinent  facts,  and 

*  "Brief  statement  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  of  the  testimony  of  Friends 
against  Slavery." 

t  Janney's  Life  of  Penn,  chap.  XXXI.  J  Brief  Statement,  &c.  p.  12. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  469 

cogent  arguments,  enforced  with  earnestness,  but  tempered  with  that 
spirit  of  meekness  and  love  which  is  most  effectual  in  disarming  op- 
position and  promoting  conviction.  His  conduct  and  public  ministry 
were  characterised  by  a  like  spirit  of  mildness  and  benignity,  which 
rendered  his  labours  effectual,  when  he  went  forth  on  his  holy  mis- 
sion, to  plead  the  cause  of  the  oppressed,  and  to  be  as  a  mouth  for  the 
dumb. 

Anthony  Benezet  was  another  efficient  advocate  of  emancipation,  to 
whose  pen  is  attributed  an  excellent  Epistle  to  Friends,  issued  by  Phi- 
ladelphia Yearly  Meeting  in  1754.  The  following  extract  will  show 
the  spirit  which  actuated  those  early  labourers  in  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity. 

"Now,  dear  Friends,  if  we  continually- bear  in  mind  the  royal  law  of 
'  doing  to  others  as  we  would  be  done  by,'  we  shall  never  think  of  bereaving 
our  fellow-creatures  of  that  valuable  blessing,  liberty,  nor  endure  to  grow 
rich  by  their  bondage.  To  live  in  ease  and  plenty  by  the  toil  of  those,  whom 
violence  and  cruelty  have  put  in  our  power,  is  neither  consistent  with 
Christianity  nor  common  justice ;  and  we  have  good  reason  to  believe  draws 
down  the  displeasure  of  heaven;  it  being  a  melancholy  but  true  reflection, 
that  where  slave-keeping  prevails,  pure  religion  and  sobriety  decline  ;  as  it 
evidently  tends  to  harden  the  heart,  and  render  the  soul  less  susceptible  of 
that  holy  spirit  of  love,  meekness  and  charity,  which  is  the  peculiar  cha- 
racter of  a  true  Christian."  .... 

In  the  year  1758,  John  Woolman,  John  Scarborough,  John  Sykes  and 
Daniel  Stanton,  were  authorized  by  Philadelphia  Yearly  Meeting,  to 
visit  those  of  its  members  who  held  slaves,  and  from  this  date,  during 
a  period  of  eighteen  years,  the  records  show  that  almost  every  year  the 
subject  claimed  the  earnest  and  increasing  attention  of  the  meeting. 
Committees  were  appointed  by  the  Quarterly  and  Monthly  Meetings,  to 
enforce  the  advices  of  the  Yearly  Meeting,  and  so  effectual  were  these 
persevering  and  affectionate  efforts,  that  most  of  the  members  who  held 
slaves  had  set  them  at  liberty  prior  to  the  year  1776,  when  a  clause 
was  inserted  in  the  discipline,  making  the  holding  or  hiring  of  slaves  a 
sufficient  cause  for  expulsion. 

The  proceedings  of  the  other  Yearly  Meetings  on  this  continent  were 
conducted  in  the  same  spirit,  and  attended  with  similar  results.  The 
Yearly  Meeting  of  New  England,  held  at  Rhode  Island  in  1717,  took 
up  the  subject  of  importing  and  keeping  slaves,  and,  after  a  series  of 
efforts  through  a  long  course  of  years,  made  slave-holding  a  disownable 
offence  in  the  year  1770.  The  Yearly  Meeting  of  New  York  came  to 
the  same  conclusion  in  1777,  and  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  Maryland  in 
1778. 

The  first  step  taken  by  the  Virginia  Yearly  Meeting,  was  in  1757, 
which  was  an  effort  to  deter  its  members  from  importing  or  dealing  in 
slaves,  and  to  secure  the  kind  treatment  and  Christian  instruction  of 


470  A   DISSERTATION 

those  in  their  possession.  In  1768,  it  prohibited  the  purchase  of  any 
more  slaves  by  its  members ;  ahd  in  1773  it  issued  the  following  advice 
to  its  subordinate  meetings : 

"  It  is  our  clear  sense  and  judgment  that  we  are  loudly  called  upon  in 
this  time  of  calamity  and  close  trial,  to  minister  justice  and  judgment  to 
black  and  white,  rich  and  poor,  and  free  our  hands  from  every  species  of 
oppression,  lest  the  language  made  use  of  by  the  Almighty  through  his 
prophet,  should  be  extended  to  us;  'The  people  of  the  land  have  used  op- 
pression and  exercised  robbery,  and  have  vexed  the  poor  and  needy;  yea, 
they  have  oppressed  the  stranger  wrongfully,  therefore  have  I  poured  out 
my  indignation  upon  them  ;  their  own  way  have  I  recompensed  upon  their 
own  heads,  saith  the  Lord  God.'  We  do,  therefore,  most  earnestly  recom- 
mend to  all  who  continue  to  withhold  froni  any,  their  just  right  to  freedom, 
as  they  prize  their  own  present  peace  and  future  happiness  to  clear  their 
hands  of  this  iniquity,  by  executing  manumissions  for  all  those  held  by  them 
in  slavery,  who  are  arrived  at  full  age,  and  also  for  those  who  rnay  yet  be 
in  their  minority,  to  take  place  when  the  females  attain  the  age  of  eighteen, 
and  the  males  twenty-one  years.  And  we  believe  the  time  is  come  when 
every  member  of  our  religious  society,  who  continues  to  support  or  counte- 
nance this  crying  evil,  either  by  continuing  their  fellow-creatures  in  bond- 
age, or  hiring  such  who  may  be  kept  in  that  state,  should  be  admonished 
and  advised  to  discontinue  such  practices." 

The  unremitting  efforts  of  the  Virginia  Friends  were  continued  until 
the  year  1784,  when  a  rule  of  discipline  was  adopted  which  directed 
Monthly  Meetings  to  extend  such  further  care  and  labour  as  they 
apprehended  would  be  useful ;  and  where  these  endeavours  proved 
ineffectual,  to  disown  the  offenders. 

Thus  we  see,  that  from  the  first  introduction  of  this  important  ques- 
tion into  a  Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends,  in  1688,  until  its  settlement  in 
1784,  was  nearly  a  century ;  during  the  greater  part  of  which  it  had 
claimed  the  earnest  and  unremitting  attention  of  many  faithful  servants 
of  the  Most  High,  whose  zealous  endeavours  being  directed  by  heavenly 
wisdom,  and  tempered  by. Christian  charity,  were  at  last  successful. 
They  held  that  the  great  object  of  Christian  discipline,  is  to  restore 
offenders,  rather  than  cut  them  off  from  church  membership ;  which 
should  be  done  only  as  a  last  resort,  when  the  prospect  of  reformation 
is  gone. 

The  practice  of  slave-holding  had  gained  an  entrance  among  them  in 
an  unguarded  hour,  and  before  its  enormity  was  fully  disclosed ;  for  it 
was  then  sanctioned  by  public  opinion,  and  even  advocated  as  a  means 
of  civilizing  the  Africans.  But  its  root  was  found  in  the  selfish  nature 
of  the  unregenerate  heart ;  the  intention,  however  disguised  by  plausi- 
ble excuses,  was  not  to  benefit  the  African,  but  to  promote  the  ease, 
convenience,  and  profit,  of  the  dominant  class.  Men  possessed  of  good 
intentions,  humane  feelings,  and  even  of  religious  principles,  were 
drawn  into  it  for  want  of  due  reflection ;  but  these,  when  it  became  a 


ON   CHRISTIAN  TESTIMONIES.  471 

subject  of  religious  concern  among  their  brethren,  were  readily  induced 
to  relinquish  it.  There  was,  however,  another  class  of  members  who 
held  on  to  their  slaves  with  greater  tenacity ;  men,  who  looked  at  the 
subject  chiefly  as  it  affected  their  own  interests,  and  cherished  the  un- 
reasonable opinion  that  the  happiness  and  mental  improvement  of  the 
African  race  may,  without  injustice,  be  sacrificed  to  promote  the  wealth 
or  convenience  of  the  European. 

It  was  to  convince  these  less  scrupulous  members,  that  the  unremit- 
ting efforts  of  Friends  were  directed  for  several  generations ;  and  so 
successful  were  their  labours,  that  very  few  were  required  to  be  dis- 
owned when  the  rule  against  slave-holding  was  finally  adopted. 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  many  who  emancipated  their  slaves  were 
not  satisfied  to  send  them  forth  empty-handed  from  the  house  of  bond- 
age, but  made  them  such  reparation  as  justice  required.  In  some 
meetings,  committees  were  appointed  to  ascertain  the  amount  that  was 
equitably  due  from  the  master  to  the  slave. 

The  attention  of  Friends  has  also  been  directed  to  improving  the 
condition  of  the  free  people  of  colour,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  following 
rule  of  discipline,  which  is  still  in  force,  and  has  been  generally 
observed : 

"  In  relation  to  the  descendants  of  the  African  race,  we  earnestly  desire 
that  those  under  the  care  of  any  of  our  members,  may  be  treated  with 
kindness,  and  instructed  in  the  principles  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  well 
as  in  such  branches  of  school-learning  as  may  fit  them  to  become  useful 
members  of  civil  society.  Also  that  Friends  in  their  respective  neighbour- 
hoods, advise  and  assist  those  who  are  at  liberty,  in  the  education  of  their 
children,  and  common  worldly  concerns."* 

It  was  not  until  after  the  society  had  cleared  itself  of  the  sin  and 
reproach  of  slave-holding,  that  it  began  to  extend  its  labours  to  others. 
It  has  now  borne  this  testimony,  even  in  slave-holding  states,  openly 
and  unflinchingly,  for  about  seventy  years ;  having  issued  numerous 
publications  on  the  subject,  addressed  many  memorials  to  legislative 
bodies,  and  frequently  sent  committees  to  wait  upon  men  in  authority, 
in  order  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  oppressed. 

One  of  the  latest  advices  issued  on  the  subject,  is  here  subjoined ; 
being  an  extract  from  the  minutes  of  Baltimore  Yearly  Meeting,  in 
1851. 

"  The  condition  of  our  brethren  of  the  African  race,  has  been  brought 
before  our  view  as  a  subject  of  deep  and  painful  interest.  While  we  de- 
plore the  wrongs  to  which  they  are  subjected,  we  feel  the  necessity  of 
watchfulness  and  prayer,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  bear  our  righteous  tes- 
timony in  the  meek  and  peaceable  spirit  of  the  Lamb. 

"  Our  position  is  one  of  peculiar  difficulty  and  high  importance,  for  if  we 

*  Discipline  of  Baltimore  Yearly  Meeting,  p.  62. 


472  A   DISSEKTATION 

imbibe  the  feelings  and  views  which  generally  pervade  communities  where 
slaves  are  held,  we  may  gradually  lose  our  sense  of  the  injustise  and  de- 
plorable consequences  of  slavery;  but  if  on  the  other  hand,  we  allow  the 
wrongs  inflicted  upon  them  to  produce  in  our  minds  an  undue  excitement, 
we  may  become  unfitted  to  bear  our  testimony  in  that  spirit  of  meekness, 
which  alone  can  render  it  effectual. 

"  The  condition  of  the  free  people  of  colour  has  also  claimed  our  sympathy. 
Subjected  to  many  of  the  degrading  influences  which  slavery  exerts  upon 
their  race,  mostly  debarred  from  the  privileges  of  education,  and  supplied 
with  few  incitements  to  industry;  we  can  scarcely  expect  from  them  a 
higher  intellectual  and  moral  standing  than  they  have  attained. 

"May  we,  therefore,  exert  our  influence  and  manifest  our  sympathy,  by 
acts  of  kindness,  calculated  to  encourage  them  in  the  education  of  their 
children,  and  the  improvement  of  their  moral  condition." 

TE  MPERANCE. 

Although  the  early  Friends  were  remarkably  temperate  in  the  use  of 
distilled  and  fermented  liquors,  yet  it  does  not  appear  that  they  saw  the 
propriety  of  abstaining  from  them  as  a  beverage.  George  Fox  preached 
temperance,  and  warned  those  who  kept  houses  of  entertainment,  not 
to  supply  their  guests  with  more  liquor  than  would  do  them  good.  About 
the  year  1780,  the  subject  of  intemperance,  together  with  "  the  unneces- 
sary use  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  their  distillation,"  claimed  the  atten- 
tion of  Friends,  in  their  meetings  for  discipline.*  Between  this  date, 
and  the  year  1808,  the  following  advices  were  issued  by  Philadelphia 
Yearly  Meeting.! 

"Many  religiously  attentive  minds  having  been  long  painfully  burdened 
with  observing  the  corrupting,  debasing,  and  ruinous  effects  consequent  on 
the  importation  and  retailing  large  quantities  of  distilled  spirits,  whereby 
the  intemperate  use  of  them  is  greatly  aided  and  encouraged,  to  the  im- 
poverishment of  many,  distempering  the  constitutions  and  understandings 
of  many  more,  and  increasing  vice  and  dissoluteness  in  the  land,  it  is  the 
united  sense  of  this  meeting,  that  well  concerned  Friends  in  all  quarters,  be 
earnestly  excited  to  suffer  the  affecting  importance  of  this  mighty  evil,  re- 
ligiously to  impress  their  minds,  and  animate  them  with  lively  concern,  to 
exert  honest  endeavours  by  example  and  loving  entreaty,  to  caution  and  dis- 
suade all  our  members  from  being  concerned  in  the  importation  or  retailing 
distilled  spirits,  and  from  using  them  in  time  of  harvest  or  otherwise.  And 
where  it  is  apprehended  there  may  be  occasion  of  using  any  as  medicine,  it  is 
earnestly  desired  that  religious  caution  be  observed  therein."  It  is  added 
in  relation  to  "  our  Christian  testimony  against  the  tradings  in  and  use  of 
distilled  spirituous  liquors,"  that ''  Quarterly  and  monthly  meetings  are  afresh 
urged  to  renew  patient,  persevering  labour,  with  such  as  are  in  this  practice, 
manifesting,  that,  if  continued  in  by  any  of  our  members,  it  cannot  admit 
of  any  countenance  while  there  is  a  faithful  adherence  to  the  divine  prin- 
ciples of  good  will  to  men.  And  let  endeavours  be  used  to  dissuade  the 
members  of  our  religious  society  from  being  either  owners  of  distilleries,  or 
procuring  their  fruit  to  be  converted  into  spirits." 

*  Memoirs  of  James  Thornton,  Comly's  Miscellany,  I.  56. 
f  Book  of  Advices,  Phila.,  1808,  p.  60-1. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  473 

This  testimony  has  now  been  maintained  by  the  Society  for  about 
half  a  century ;  the  use  of  all  intoxicating  drinks  is  discouraged,  and 
the  distillation,  sale,  or  common  use,  as  a  beverage,  of  ardent  spirits,  is 
deemed  a  sufficient  cause  for  expulsion. 

DRESS  AND  ADDRESS,  GAMES  OF  CHANCE,  AND  OTHER 
AMUSEMENTS. 

The  first  two  subjects  embraced  under  this  head  have,  by  some 
writers,  been  designated  as  "  peculiarities  or  sectarian  distinctions."  * 
They  are  believed,  however,  to  rest  on  the  same  basis  as  the  great  and 
leading  testimonies  already  examined,  having  sprung  from  a  willing- 
ness on  the  part  of  the  early  Friends,  to  follow  their  convictions  of  duty, 
even  in  the  smallest  particulars.  Nothing  can  be  considered  small  or 
unimportant  that  is  clearly  manifested  to  the  mind  as  a  divine  requisi- 
tion ;  whereas  all  things  are  comparatively  trivial,  that  have  not  some 
relation  to  the  welfare  of  the  soul. 

The  first  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends  were  generally  gathered 
from  the  plain  and  serious  portion  of  the  English  people,  who  wore  a 
dress  more  simple  and  less  expensive  than  was  usual  in  fashionable 
life.  This  dress  was  retained  after  they  became  members,  and  those 
from  the  gayer  circles  who  joined  them  through  convincement,  found  it 
their  duty  to  dispense  with  gaudy  apparel  and  superfluous  ornaments, 
which  they  deemed  inconsistent  with  Christian  gravity.  The  children 
of  Friends  being  educated  as  members,  were  taught  to  consider  decency 
and  comfort  the  main  points  to  be  observed  in  the  choice  of  their 
clothing ;  hence,  they  were  discouraged  from  the  use  of  gay  or  sump- 
tuous apparel,  and  from  following  the  changeable  fashions  of  the 
world,  which  too  often  occupy  the  attention  of  the  young,  and  withdraw 
their  minds  from  the  proper  business  of  life — the  service  of  God.  Thus 
the  Society  of  Friends,  by  retaining,  in  some  measure,  the  simple  cos- 
tume of  its  early  members,  and  without  prescribing  in  its  discipline 
any  particular  colour  or  form  of  apparel,  has  become  distinguished  by 
a  mode  or  style  of  dress  peculiar  to  itself. 

The  following  advice,  from  its  book  of  discipline,  is  wise  and  salu- 
tary: 

"Let  decency,  simplicity  and  utility  be  our  principal  motives,  and  not  to 
conform  to  the  vain  and  changeable  fashions  of  the  world ;  though  we  may 
occasionally  adopt  alterations  which  appear  convenient  or  useful.  This  is 
a  principle  the  propriety  of  which  we  apprehend  no  serious  Christian  will 
deny,  and  whilst  in  ages  of  pride  and  extravagance  of  dress,  the  adoption 
of  this  rule  may  make  us  appear  singular,  yet  in.  relation  to  us,  this  singu- 
larity is  not  without  its  use.  It  is  in  some  respects  like  a  hedge  about  us, 
which  though  it  does  not  make  the  ground  it  encloses,  rich  and  fruitful,  yet  it 

*  Marsh's  Life  of  George  Fox. 


474  A  DISSERTATION 

frequently  prevents  those  intrusions  by  which  the  labour  of  the  husband- 
man is  injured  or  destroyed." 

This  consideration  is  no  less  applicable  to  the  use  of  the  singular 
pronoun  iliou  or  thee,  in  addressing  a  single  person.  An  adherence, 
in  this  respect,  to  the  language  of  scripture,  and  the  simplicity  of  an- 
cient times,  not  only  serves  as  a  hedge  to  protect  the  young  from  too 
great  an  intercourse  with  the  gay  world,  but  it  is  more  perspicuous,  as 
well  as  more  consistent  with  the  principles  of  grammar.  A  departure 
from  this  ancient  form  of  speech  was  first  induced  by  a  desire  to  com- 
pliment the  great.  "  It  was,"  says  William  Penn,  "  first  ascribed  in 
way  of  flattery  to  proud  popes  and  emperors  ;  imitating  the  heathens' 
vain  homage  to  their  gods ;  thereby  ascribing  a  plural  honour  to  a 
single  person ;  as  if  one  pope  had  been  made  up  of  many  gods,  or  one 
emperor  of  many  men."* 

George  Fox  believed  it  his  religious  duty  to  promote  the  restoration 
of  a  pure  language,  and  of  a  deportment  founded  in  sincerity  and 
truth.  He  therefore  abstained  from  the  use  of  the  plural  pronoun  to  a 
single  person,  and  from  all  flattering  titles,  as  well  as  from  bowing  the 
body,  bending  the  knee,  or  uncovering  the  head,  as  tokens  of  respect 
or  reverence  to  man.  As  these  customs  had  originated  in  vanity  and 
pride,  he  believed  they  were  calculated  to  nourish  the  same  pernicious 
passions ;  for  even  the  teachers  and  professors  of  religion  expected  to 
receive  honour  one  of  another,  and  sought  not  the  honour  that  cometh 
from  God  only. 

The  correctness  of  this  position  was  fully  evinced  by  the  abuse  and 
persecution  inflicted  on  him  and  his  friends  for  their  plain  and  unflat- 
tering address,  even  when  accompanied  by  the  most  courteous  and 
obliging  demeanour.  For  refusing  to  take  off  their  hats  in  the  presence 
of  magistrates  and  judges,  they  were  often  severely  reprimanded,  and 
even  imprisoned. 

This  refusal,  they  maintained,  was  not  for  want  of  respect  towards 
the  legal  tribunals,  but  because  the  uncovering  of  the  head  was  a  token 
of  reverence  they  could  offer  to  none  but  the  Deity.  While  engaged  in 
preaching  the  gospel,  or  in  vocal  prayer,  they  uncovered  their  heads  ; 
but  this  they  considered  an  act  of  homage  that  could  not,  with  pro- 
priety, be  paid  to  a  mortal  like  themselves. 

Being  called,  as  they  believed,  to  come  out  from  the  world,  by  for- 
saking its  vain  fashions  and  frivolous  amusements,  they  abstained  from 
frequenting,  or  in  any  way  encouraging,  theatres,  balls,  horse-races, 
games  of  chance,  festivals,  or  musical  entertainments.  These  amuse- 
ments are  so  manifestly  inconsistent  with  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which 

*  No  cross  no  crown,  Book  I.,  Chap.  IX. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  475 

requires  us  to  walk  "  circumspectly,  redeeming  the  time,"  and  to  do  all 
things  for  the  glory  of  God :  that  an  argument  to  show  their  impro- 
priety appears  to  be  needless. 

MUSIC,     PAINTING,     &C. 

When  \ve  consider  that  Music,  Painting  and  Sculpture,  have  usually 
flourished  most  in  those  countries  where  luxury  and  voluptuousness 
have  most  prevailed ;  it  is  not  surprising  that  a  people  like  the  primi- 
tive Friends,  who  viewed  all  employments  as  useless  or  pernicious, 
which  did  not  contribute  to  vital  religion,  should  have  looked  with  dis- 
trust or  aversion  on  those  favourite  studies  of  the  fashionable  world. 

They  considered  the  great  business  of  life  to  be  the  service  of  God, 
by  seeking  the  knowledge  of  his  law,  enjoying  the  communion  of  his 
spirit,  and  performing  these  deeds  of  charity,  and  love,  which  he  re- 
quires. These  are  the  means  of  promoting  the  soul's  highest  enjoy- 
ment, and  when  thus  employed  in  the  divine  service,  it  has  little  relish 
for  those  sensual  and  transitory  pleasures,  which  are  dependent  on  the 
skill  of  the  artist. 

The  objections  that  may  be  urged  against  music  as  an  adjunct  of 
divine  worship,  have  already  been  stated :  its  cultivation  as  an  art,  for 
the  promotion  of  social  enjoyment,  comes  now  to  be  considered. 

"Friends  believe  music  a  sensual  gratification,  and  that  it  takes  the  place 
in  the  affections  of  intellectual  enjoyments,  They  believe  it  to  be  the  hand- 
maid of  folly  and  voluptuousness,  and  that  it  leads  into  fashion,  balls,  the- 
atres, and  other  places  of  vain  amusements.  Whatever  may  be  its  power  in 
soothing  the  angry  passions,  it  is  ephemeral  in  its  nature,  and  incapable  of 
commanding  a  divine  thought,  or  raising  the  soul  to  sublime  or  spiritual  en- 
joyments. It  drowns  th  still  small  voice  of  conscience,  and  prevents  that 
introversion  of  thought  which  constitutes  the  Christian's  highest  enjoyment." 

"  They  do  not,  however,  mean  to  be  understood  as  objecting  to  melodious 
sounds,  raised  in  thankfulness  to  the  Author  of  our  being,  [and  proceeding 
from  the  influence  of  Divine  Love],  or  to  the  innocent  song  of  childhood. 
It  is  the  scientific  cultivation  of  the  art  —  the  vain  and  idle  indulgence  con- 
nected with  it,  either  vocally  or  instrumental ly,  that  they  testify  against."* 

"Music/1  says  Clarkson,  "has  been  so  generally  cultivated,  and  to  such 
perfection,  that  it  now  ceases  to  delight  the  ear  unless  it  comes  from  the 
fingers  of  the  proficient.  But  great  proficiency  cannot  be  attained  in  this 
science  without  great  sacrifice  of  time." 

"  If  the  education  of  young  females  is  thought  most  perfect,  when  their 
musical  attainments  are  the  highest,  not  only  hours,  but  even  years,  must  be 
devoted  to  the  pursuit.  Vj 

"  Such  a  devotion  to  this  one  object,  must,  it  is  obvious,  leave  less  time 
than  is  proper  for  others  that  are  more  important.  The  knowledge  of 
domestic  occupations,  and  the  various  sorts  of  knowledge  acquired  by  read- 
ing, must  be  abridged  in  proportion  as  the  science  is  cultivated  to  profes- 

*  Essay  on  the  subject  of  Music,  issued  by  Meeting  for  Sufferings  of  Philadel- 
phia Yearly  Meeting,  1852. 


476  A   DISSERTATION 

sional  precision.  And  hence  it  must  be  acknowledged  by  the  sober  world  to 
be  chargeable  with  a  criminal  waste  of  time."  ....  "  Now  all  this  long  ap- 
plication is  of  a  sedentary  nature."  ....  "In  proportion  as  the  body  is  weak- 
ened by  the  sedentary  nature  of  the  employment,  it  is  weakened  again  by 
the  enervating  powers  of  the  art.  Thus  the  nervous  system  is  acted  upon 

by  two  enemies  at  once." 

"  Hence  the  females  of  the  present  age,  amongst  whom  this  art  has  been 
cultivated  to  excess,  are  generally  found  to  have  a  weak  and  languid  con- 
stitution, and  to  be  disqualified  more  than  others,  from  their  domestic  and 
social  duties."  ....  "Arid  this  waste  of  time  is  the  more  to  be  deprecated, 
because  it  frequently  happens  that  when  young  females  marry,  music  is 
thrown  aside  after  all  the  years  that  have  been  spent  in  its  acquisition,  as 
an  employment  either  then  unnecessary,  or  as  an  employment  which, 
amidst  the  cares  of  a  family,  they  have  not  leisure  to  follow."  * 

Many  of  the  objections  urged  against  music  will  not,  so  fully,  apply 
to  drawing  and  painting  ;  both  of  which,  but  more  especially  the  former, 
may  be  made  subservient  to  useful  purposes.  "  At  the  same  time  it 
must  be  admitted  that  Christianity,  can  never  sanction  the  appropria- 
tion of  that  large  amount  of  time,  and  superior  talent,  which  is  often 
wasted  on  works  of  mere  fancy  and  of  no  practical  utility;  —  much 
less,  when  that  time  and  talent  are  expended  on  subjects  that  are  cal- 
culated to  shock,  or  what  is  worse,  to  blunt  those  feelings  of  delicacy, 
and  propiety,  which  may,  in  a  subordinate  sense,  be  termed  the  safe- 
guards of  virtue."  f 

CONCLUSION. 

It  will  be  seen  on  examination  of  the  testimonies  borne  by  the  primi- 
tive Friends,  that  they  waged  a  determined  warfare  against  every  form 
of  oppression,  vice  and  folly.  They  made  no  compromise  with  the 
world.  They  appear  not  to  have  taken  into  account  the  opprobrium  they 
would  incur,  or  the  sufferings  to  which  they  must  be  subjected.  Neither 
the  rewards  of  wealth  and  honour,  nor  the  penalties  of  pain,  imprison- 
ment and  death,  could  induce  them  to  swerve  from  the  narrow  path 
marked  out  for  them  by  the  secret  monitor  within  the  breast.  Crom- 
well acknowledged  their  incorruptible  integnity  in  these  remarkable 
words,  "  Now  I  see  there  is  a  people  risen  that  I  cannot  win  either  with 
gifts,  honours,  offices,  or  places  ;  but  all  other  sects  and  people  I  can." 

Is  it  surprising  that  the  world  rose  up  in  arms  against  them  ?  The 
English  hierarchy  and  the  Dissenting  clergy,  though  opposed  to  each 
olj?er,  could  combine  to  attack  these  daring  advocates  of  a  free  and  un- 
salaried  Christian  ministry.  The  rulers  of  the  nation  and  the  heads  of 
universities,  were  alarmed  at  the  broaching  of  those  doctrines  of  liberty 
and  equality,  which  struck  at  the  root  of  aristocratic  power.  The 
magistrates  and  judges  lent  their  aid  to  repress  the  rising  sect,  and  the 

*  Clarkson's  Portraiture  of  Quakerism,  I.  30.          f  Friends'  Review,  I.  279. 


ON    CHRISTIAN   TESTIMONIES.  477 

rude  populace,  incited  by  the  example  of  their  superiors,  inflicted  upon 
their  unresisting  victims,  every  form  of  opprobrium  and  abuse.  In  the 
year  1G62,  being  two  years  after  the  accession  of  Charles  II.,  there  were 
in  the  prisons  of  England,  4200  of  those  called  Quakers,  who  had  been 
committed  for  frequenting  meetings,  for  refusing  to  swear,  and  for  other 
branches  of  their  Christian  testimonies.  Some  of  the  prisons  were  so 
crowded  with  them,  that  there  was  not  sufficient  room  for  all  to  sit  down 
at  once.  Many  were  confined  in  damp  and  filthy  cells,  where  they 
sickened  and  died,  for  want  of  pure  air. 

They  were  cruelly  beaten  ;  neither  age  nor  sex;  being  regarded,  but 
the  most  delicate  women,  and  men  far  advanced  in  years,  were  treated 
with  rude  severity. 

On  the  accession  of  James  II.,  fourteen  hundred  of  them  remained 
in  prison,  a  number  of  whom  had  been  thus  separated  from  their  fami- 
lies during  twelve  or  fourteen  years,  and  some  hundreds  had  died  in 
prison. 

In  the  city  of  London  alone,  five  hundred  were  at  one  time  impris- 
oned, and  many  of  them  being  in  Newgate  and  Bridewell,  were  thrust 
in  among  the  felons. 

In  Thomas  Ellwood's  autobiography,  after  describing  their  condition 
in  Newgate,  he  thus  relates  the  removal  of  himself  and  others  to 
Bridewell : 

"  The  porter  of  Bridewell  came  to  us  and  told  us  we  knew  the  way  to 
Bridewell  without  him,  and  he  could  trust  us;  therefore,  he  would  not  stay 
nor  go  with  us,  but  left  us  to  take  our  own  time,  so  we  were  in  before  bed- 
time  Having  made  up  our  packs  and  taken  our  leave  of  our 

friends,  whom  we  were  to  leave  behind,  we  took  our  bundles  on  our  shoul- 
ders, and  walked  two  and  two  abreast,  through  the  Old  Bailey  and  Fleet 
street,  and  so  to  old  Bridewell.  And  it  being  about  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon, and  the  streets  pretty  full  of  people,  both  the  shop-keepers  at  their 
doors  and  passengers  in  the  way,  would  stop  us,  and  ask  us  what  we  were 
and  whither  we  were  going;  and  when  we  had  told  them  we  were 
prisoners  going  from  one  prison  to  another,  '  What !'  said  they,  '  without  a 
keeper  ?'  '  No,'  said  we,  '  for  our  word,  which  we  have  given,  is  our 
keeper.'  Some,  thereupon,  would  advise  us  not  to  go  to  prison,  but  to  go 
home.  But  we  told  them  we  could  not  do  so ;  we  could  suffer  for  our  tes- 
timony, but  could  not  fly  from  it." 

Those  who  were  not  imprisoned,  suffered  great  hardships,  for  the 
trained  bands,  armed  with  muskets,  pikes,  and  halberds,  came  fre- 
quently to  break  up  their  meetings,  and  rushing  in  furiously  among 
them,  wounded  and  bruised  many.  When  the  meeting-houses  were 
locked  up  by  the  public  authorities,  the  Friends  met  near  them  in  the 
street,  wrhere,  being  engaged  in  preaching  and  praying,  they  attracted 
a  crowded  auditory,  and  made  many  proselytes.  When  their  meeting- 
houses were  torn  down,  they  met  near  the  ruins;  when  dirt  and  rubbish 
•were  thrown  upon  them,  they  refused  to  disperse,  standing  close  to- 


478  A   DISSERTATION,  ETC. 

gether  and  willing  to  be  buried  "  witnessing  for  the  Lord.''  Even  the 
children  among  them  assembled  and  kept  up  their  meetings  when  their 
parents  were  taken  to  prison. 

Such  passive  fortitude  has  seldom  been  witnessed  in  any  age  or 
country.  But  they  were  not  less  bold  and  fearless  in  asserting  their 
doctrines,  than  patient  in  suffering  for  them.  They  abhorred  persecu- 
tion, but  they  loved  all  men,  and  prayed  sincerely,  even  for  those  who 
caused  them  to  suffer. 

From  the  rise  of  the  Society  to  the  passing  of  the  Toleration  Act  in 
1689,  being  a  period  of  about  forty  years,  they  were,  with  some  short 
intermissions,  exposed  to  almost  continual  persecution  both  in  Great 
Britain  and  in  several  of  her  American  colonies.  But  although  they 
patiently  suffered  imprisonment  and  the  spoiling  of  their  goods,  they 
did  not  fail  to  take  such  methods  for  relief  as  were  consistent  with  the 
spirit  of  the  gospel ;  they  appealed  constantly  to  the  public  through 
the  press,  and  to  their  rulers  by  respectful  petitions. 

"  Baxter,  though  not  favourably  disposed  towards  Friends,  bears  testi- 
mony to  their  constancy  under  the  cruel  operation  of  the  Conventicle  Act, 
observing,  'Here  the  Quakers  did  greatly  relieve  the  sober  people  for  a 
time  ;  for  they  were  so  resolute,  and  so  gloried  in  their  constancy  and  suffer- 
ings, that  they  assembled  openly  at  the  Bull  and  Mouth,  near  Aldersgate, 
and  were  dragged  away  daily  to  the  common  jail,  and  yet  desisted  not,  but 
the  rest  came  next  day.  Abundance  of  them  died  in  prison,  and  yet  they 
continued  their  assemblies  still.'  " 

On  this  passage,  Orme,  the  biographer  of  Baxter,  makes  this  remark : 
"Had  there  been  more  of  the  same  determined  spirit  among  others  which 
the  Friends  displayed,  the  sufferings  of  all  parties  would  sooner  have  come 
to  an  end.  The  government  must  have  given  way,  as  the  spirit  of  the 
country  would  have  been  effectually  roused.  The  conduct  of  the  Quakers 
was  infinitely  to  their  honor."  In  another  note  relative,  to  Friends,  the 
same  writer  remarks :  "  The  heroic  and  persevering  conduct  of  the  Quakers, 
in  withstanding  the  interference  of  government  with  the  rights  of  con- 
science, by  which  they  finally  secured  those  peculiar  privileges  they  so 
richly  deserve  to  enjoy,  entitles  them  to  the  veneration  of  all  the  friends  of 
civil  and  religious  freedom."  * 

The  benefit  that  has  accrued  to  mankind  from  the  support  and  exten- 
sion of  these  Christian  testimonies,  can  admit  of  neither  doubt  nor  dis- 
pute :  and  the  inquiry  may  arise  in  some  minds,  how  shall  we  account 
for  the  fact  that  the  primitive  Friends  were  enlighted  on  these  subjects 
so  far  beyond  the  age  in  which  they  lived  ? 

They  were  a  deep,  spiritually-minded  people,  who  sought  the  truth 
without  prejudice  ;  relying,  not  upon  human  authority  or  tradition,  but 
reading  diligently  the  sacred  scriptures,  and  hoisting  in  the  revelations 
of  Divine  grace  in  the  soul,  as  the  Holy  Oracles  of  God. 

*  Quoted  in  Evans's  Exposition — Brief  Account,  &c.,  p.  39. 


A  DISSERTATION 


VIEWS   OF   GEORGE  FOX 


CONCERNING 


CHRISTIAN  DISCIPLINE. 


CONTENTS. 


Discipline  of  the  Primitive  Ohurch    Page  479 

History  of  Friends'  Discipline 481 

Meetings  for  Discipline    .......  486 

Meetings  for  Worship 488 

Ministers  and  Elders 489 

Membership 491 

Marriage 492 


Burials 493 

Charity  and  Care  of  the  Poor 494 

Trade  and  Business 494 

Education 495 

Settlement  of  Differences 496 

Treatment  of  Offenders 496 

Conclusion 497 


A  DISSERTATION  ON  THE  VIEWS  OF  GEORGE  FOX 
CONCERNING   CHRISTIAN   DISCIPLINE. 

THE  views  of  George  Fox  on  Christian  discipline,  like  all  his  religious 
tenets,  were  in  strict  accordance  with  the  fundamental  doctrine  of 
Christianity  —  the  immediate  revelation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  —  through 
which  the  great  Head  of  the  church  preserves  his  connection  with  it, 
and  teaches  his  people  himself. 

The  church  of  Christ  in  its  purity  is  a  united  body,  composed  of 
many  living  members,  each  having  an  appropriate  place  and  service, 
according  to  the  measure  of  grace  received,  and  all  growing  in  propor- 
tion to  their  obedience  to  "  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus." 
This  is  beautifully  illustrated  by  the  apostle  Paul,  in  the  12th  chapter 
of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  wherein  he  shows  that  "  there 
should  be  no  schism  in  the  body ;  but,  that  the  members  should  have 
the  same  care  one  for  another,  and  whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the 
members  suffer  with  it,  or  one  member  be  honoured,  all  the  members 

rejoice  with  it." "  There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same 

spirit,  differences  of  administration,  but  the  same  Lord,  diversities  of 

(479) 


480  A   DISSERTATION 

operations,  but  the  same  God,  who  worketh  all  in  all.  But  the  mani- 
festation of  the  spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal." 

While  this  vital  principle  continued  in  full  force,  in  the  primitive 
church,  those  who  were  called  to  the  exercise  of  spiritual  gifts  in 
teaching  or  government,  did  not  affect  to  be  "  lords  over  God's  heri- 
tage, but  were  as  ensamples  to  the  flock." 

There  was  not  among  them  a  class  of  priests  whose  business  it  was 
exclusively  to  provide  for  the  religious  wants  of  the  community,  and 
to  form  a  link  between  them  and  God.  They  had  "  one  heavenly  King, 
guide,  and  teacher,  through  whom  all  were  taught  from  God:  one 
faith,  one  hope,  one  spirit,  which  must  animate  all."* 

The  church  government  which  resulted  from  this  heavenly  union  was 
not  formed  and  administered  by  one  man,  or  even  by  a  few,  but  shared 
by  the  whole  body :  it  was  not  coercive  but  persuasive,  not  conducted 
in  the  wisdom  of  man,  but  in  the  power  of  God. 

"In  those  early  times,''  says  Mosheim,  "every  Christian  church  consisted 
of  the  people,  their  leaders,  and  the  ministers  and  deacons ;  and  these  indeed 
belong  essentially  to  every  religious  society.  The  people  were  undoubtedly 
first  in  authority,  for  the  Apostles  showed  by  their  authority,  that  nothing 
of  moment  was  to  be  carried  on  or  determined  without  the  consent  of  the 
assembly.  Acts  i.  15 ;  vi.  3  ;  xv.  4  ;  xxi.  22.  It  was  therefore  the  assembly 
of  the  people,  which  chose  rulers  and  teachers,  or  received  them  by  a  free 
and  authoritative  consent,  when  recommended  by  others.  The  same  people 
rejected  or  confirmed  by  their  suffrages  the  laws  that  were  proposed  by  their 
rulers  to  the  assembly,  excommunicated  profligate  and  unworthy  members 
of  the  church,  restored  the  penitent  to  their  forfeited  privileges  ;  passed  judg- 
ment upon  the  different  subjects  of  controversy  or  dissension  that  arose  in 
their  community,  examined  and  decided  the  disputes  which  happened 
between  the  elders  and  deacons,  and  in  a  word,  exercised  all  that  authority 
which  belongs  to  such  as  are  invested  with  sovereign  power. 

"There  reigned  among  the  members  of  the  Christian  church,  however 
distinguished  they  were  by  worldly  rank  and  titles,  not  only  an  amiable 
harmony,  but  a  perfect  equality."  j- 

The  distinction  of  clergy  and  laity  was  then  unknown.  Spiritual 
gifts  conferred  by  the  Head  of  the  church,  and  acknowledged  by  the 
body  of  believers,  constituted  the  ground  and  authority  of  the  Christian 
ministry.  "  If  any  man  speak,"  says  Peter,  "  let  him  speak  as  the 
oracles  of  God ;  if  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability 
which  God  giveth." 

But  although  individuals  were  especially  called  to  particular  services, 
as,  for  instance,  preaching  the  gospel,  governing  the  church,  or  pro- 
viding for  the  poor,  yet  this  excluded  none  from  the  public  expression 
of  their  exercises ;  for  says  the  apostle  Paul,  "  All  may  prophesy  one 
by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may  be  comforted."  This  beautiful 

*  Neander's  History  of  the  Church,  Sec.  II.  A,  p.  102. 
j-  Ecclesiastical  History,  First  Century. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  481 

and  salutary  order,  combined  with  Christian  charity,  being  lost  in  the 
apostacy  through  the  usurpations  of  the  clergy,  was  restored  in  the 
system  of  discipline  recommended  by  George  Fox,  and  still  preserved, 
in  its  essential  features,  in  the  Society  of  Friends. 

HISTORY    OF     ITS    INSTITUTION. 

The  history  of  the  institution  of  discipline  in  the  Society  of  Friends, 
may  appropriately  be  introduced  by  the  following  passages  from  "  The 
Book  of  Extracts  of  London  Yearly  Meeting." 

"By  the  term  discipline  we  understand  all  those  arrangements  and  regu- 
lations which  are  instituted  for  the  civil  and  religious  benefit  of  a  Christian 
church:  the  meetings  of  Discipline  are.  of  course,  for  carrying  these  objects 
into  effect.  Their  design  was  said  by  George  Fox,  to  be — the  promotion  of 
charity  and  piety.  It  cannot  be  said  that  any  system  of  discipline  formed 
a  part  of  the  original  compact  of  the  society.  There  was  not,  indeed,  to 
human  appearance,  anything  systematic  in  its  formation.  It  was  an  asso- 
ciation of  persons  who  were  earnestly  seeking,  yea,  panting  after  the  saving 
knowledge  of  Divine  Truth.  They  were  men  of  prayer,  and  diligent 
searchers  of  the  Holy  Scriptures :  unable  to  find  true  rest  in  the  various  sys- 
tems, which  in  that  day  divided  the  Christian  world,  they  believed  that 
they  found  the  truth  in  a  more  full  reception  of  Christ,  not  only  as  the  living 
and  ever-present  Head  of  the  church  in  its  aggregate  capacity,  but  also  as 
the  light  and  life, — the  spiritual  ruler,  teacher,  and  friend  of  every  individual 
member.'1  ....  "As  these  views  struck  at  the  very  root  of  that  great  cor- 
ruption in  the  Christian  church,  by  which  one  man's  performances  on  behalf 
of  others  had  been  made  essential  to  public  worship,  and  on  which  hang 
all  the  load  of  ecclesiastical  domination  and  the  trade  in  holy  things,  so  it 
necessarily  separated  those  who  had,  as  they  believed,  found  the  liberty  of 
the  gospel,  from  those  who  still  adhered  with  pious  regard,  or  a  more  igno- 
rant and  selfish  attachment,  to  that  system  which  was  upheld  by  the  exist- 
ing churches  of  the  land. 

"  Being  thus  separated  from  others,  and  many  being  every  day  added  to 
the  church,  there  arose,  of  course,  peculiar  duties  of  the  associated  persons 
towards  each  other.  Christianity  has  ever  been  a  powerful,  active,  and 
beneficent  principle.  Those  who  truly  receive  it,  no  more  'live  unto  them- 
selves,' and  this  feature  and  fruit  of  genuine  Christianity  was  strikingly  ex- 
hibited in  the  conduct  of  the  early  Friends.  No  sooner  were  a  few  persons 
connected  together  in  the  new  bond  of  religious  fellowship,  than  they  were  en- 
gaged to  admonish,  encourage,  and  in  spiritual  as  well  as  temporal  matters 
to  watch  over  and  help  one  another  in  love. 

"The  members  who  lived  near  to  each  other,  and  who  met  together  for 
religious  worship,  immediately  formed,  from  the  very  law  of  their  union,  a 
Christian  family  or  little  church,  each  member  was  at  liberty  to  exercise  the 
gift  bestowed  upon  him,  in  that  beautiful  harmony  and  subjection  which 
belong  to  the  several  parts  of  a  living  body,  from  the  analogy  of  which  the 
Apostle  Paul  draws  so  striking  a  description  of  the  true  church;  ye  are  the 
body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  particular."  .... 

"Thus  then  we  believe  it  may  be  safely  asserted,  that  there  never  was  a 
period  in  the  society  when  those  who  agreed  in  religious  principles  were 
wholly  independent  of  each  other,  or  in  which  that  order  and  subjection 
which  may  be  said  to  constitute  discipline  did  not  exist.  But  as  the  number 
of  members  increased,  those  mutual  helps  and  guards  which  had  been,  in 

31 


482  A   DISSERTATION 

great  measure,  spontaneously  afforded,  were  found  to  require  some  regular 
arrangements  for  the  preservation  nf  order  in  the  church. 

"The  history  of  these  proceedings  affords  no  small  evidence  that  the 
spirit  of  a  sound  mind  influenced  the  body  in  its  earliest  periods.  Con- 
tending as  they  did  for  so  large  a  measure  of  individual  spiritual  liberty, 
and  placing  the  authority  of  man  in  spiritual  matters,  in  a  position  so  subor- 
dinate to  that  of  the  one  great  Head  of  the  church,  they  nevertheless  recog- 
nized the  importance  and  necessity  of  arrangements,  and  of  human  instru- 
mentality, under  the  direction  of  the  spirit  of  Christ;  and  they  were  led  to 
establish  a  system  of  order,  at  once  so  simple  and  efficient,  that  notwith- 
standing the  varying  circumstances  of  the  society,  and  the  power  of  every 
annual  meeting  to  alter  it,  it  has  been  found  in  its  main  features,  adapted  to 
those  changes,  and  it  remains  to  this  day  essentially  the  same  as  it  was 
within  forty  years  of  the  rise  of  the  society.  Previously,  however,  to  the 
establishment  of  that  regular  system  of  discipline,  and  of  that  mode  of  re- 
presentation in  the  meetings  for  conducting  it  which  now  exist,  there  had 
been  many  General  Meetings  held  in  different  parts  of  the  nation,  for  the 
purpose  of  providing  for  the  various  exigencies  of  the  society."  * 

The  first  convinoement  under  the  ministry  of  George  Fox  took  place 
between  the  years  1644  and  1648,  and  meetings  for  worship  were  esta- 
blished, in  Leicestershire,  Warwickshire,  Nottinghamshire,  and  Derby- 
shire :  but  the  most  remarkable  accession  of  members  was  about  the 
years  1651,  '52,  and  '53,  in  Yorkshire,  Westmoreland,  Lancashire, 
Durham,  Cumberland,  and  Northumberland.  The  first  meetings  of 
Friends  held  in  London  and  its  vicinity,  were  in  1654 ;  and  the  same 
year  their  principles  were  spread  in  Wales,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  In 
1655,  many  ministers  went  beyond  sea ;  and  in  1656,  some  proselytes 
were  made  in  the  American  provinces,  and  other  places.f 

It  is  stated,  in  the  Journal  of  George  Fox,  that  some  meetings  for 
discipline  were  settled  in  the  north  of  England  as  early  as  the  year 
1653.  One  of  these  was  a  monthly  meeting  at  Bishoprick,  in  the  county 
of  Durham.  A  document  relating  to  this  meeting  has  recently  been 
discovered  among  the  Swarthmore  manuscripts,  which  is  signed  by  16 
Friends,  and  endorsed  by  George  Fox. 

"This  paper  declares  the  object  of  their  religious  union  to  be,  that  every 
one  should  bear  his  burden,  the  strong  with  the  weak,  that  the  weak  be  not 
oppressed  above  his  strength,  but  all  drawing  on,  hand  in  hand,  that  the 
weak  and  the  tired  may  be  refreshed,  and  so  all  become  a  joint  witness  to 
the  everlasting  truth  in  word  and  conversation."  J 

A  General  Meeting  was  held  at  Balby,  near  Doncaster,  in  Yorkshire, 
in  the  year  1656,  from  which  a  number  of  directions  and  advices  were 
issued,  addressed  "  To  the  Brethren  in  the  North."  This  document 

*  Friends'  Library,  I.  114. 

f  George  Fox's  Journal,  II.  442. 

|  Bowden's  History  of  Friends,  I.  209. 


ON   CHKISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  483 

refers  to  most  of  the  points  which  now  form  the  chief  subjects  of  our 
discipline. 

Another  General  Meeting  was  held  at  Scale-House,  near  Skipton,  in 
Yorkshire,  in  the  year  1658. 

George  Fox  mentions  in  his  Journal  a  General  Meeting  he  attended 
at  Skipton,  in  the  year  1660,  where  Friends  were  met  "  out  of  many 
counties,  concerning  the  aS'airs  of  tlje  church.  This  meeting,"  he  says, 
"  had  stood  several  years." 

In  the  same  year  he  attended  a  great  meeting  at  Balby,  in  Yorkshire, 
concerning  which  he  says  ;  "  Our  Yearly  Meeting  at  that  time  was  held 
in  a  great  orchard  at  John  Killam's,  where  it  was  supposed  some  thou- 
sands of  people  and  Friends  were  gathered  together." 

The  Yearly  Meeting  at  Balby  was  first  established  in  1658  ;  and  after 
being  held  there  three  years,  was  removed  to  London  in  1661.* 

"  Next  to  General  Meetings,  we  must  mention  the  establishment  of 
Quarterly  Meetings,  which  were  constituted  of  Friends  deputed  by  the 
several  meetings  within  a  county.  These  meetings,  in  several  of  the  coun- 
ties at  least,  had  existed  prior  to  the  establishment  of  Monthly  Meetings, 
and  they  appear  to  have  much  the  same  office  in  the  body,  as  the  Monthly 
Meetings  now  have  amongst  us."  *  *  * 

(>  We  now  proceed  to  notice  the  more  regular  and  systematic  establish- 
ment of  Monthly  and  Quarterly  Meetings,  and  of  the  Yearly  Meeting." 

"  Under  the  date  of  1066,  George  Fox  says  in  his  journal,  'Then  was  I 
moved  of  the  Lord  to  recommend  the  setting  up  of  five  Monthly  Meetings 
of  men  and  women  Friends  in  the  city  [of  London],  besides  the  women's 
meetings  and  the  Quarterly  Meetings,  to  take  care  of  God's  glory,  and  to 
admonish  and  exhort  such  as  walked  disorderly  and  carelessly,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  truth.  For  whereas  Friends  had  had  only  Quarterly  Meetings, 
now  truth  was  spread,  and  Friends  were  grown  more  numerous,  I  was 
moved  to  recommend  the  setting  up  of  Monthly  Meetings  throughout  the 
nation.'  In  1667,  he  laboured  most  diligently  in  this  service,  under  much 
bodily  weakness  from  his  long  confinements  in  cold  and  damp  prisons.  In 
1668,  he  thus  writes  concerning  this  service  :  '  The  men's  Monthly  Meetings 
were  settled  through  the  nation.  The  Quarterly  Meetings  were  generally 
settled  before.  I  wrote  also  into  Ireland,  Scotland,  Holland,  Barbadoes,  and 
several  parts  of  America,  advising  Friends  to  settle  their  men's  Monthly 
Meetings  in  those  counties,  for  they  had  their  Quarterly  Meetings  before.' " 

"  The  Quarterly  Meetings  from  this  time,  received  reports  of  the  state  of 
society  from  the  Monthly  Meetings,  and  gave  such  advice  and  decisions  as 
they  thought  right;  but  there  was  not  until  some  years  after  this  period,  a 
general  Yearly  Meeting  in  which  all  the  Quarterly  Meetings  were  repre- 
sented." f 

It  has  been  already  stated  that  the  General  or  Yearly  Meeting  which 
had  met  for  three  years  at  Balby,  in  Yorkshire,  was  removed  to  London 
in  1661 ;  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  it  continued  to  be  held  in  that 
city  until  1673,  when  a  Yearly  Meeting,  in  which  the  Quarterly  meet- 

*  Letter  of  George  Fox,  quoted  in  Bowden's  Hist, 
f  London  Book  of  Extracts,  Friends'  Lib.  I.  116.     • 


484  A   DISSERTATION 

ings  were  represented,  met  for  the  first  time;  in  which  it  was  concluded 
that  the  General  Meeting  as  it  had  before  existed,  "  be  discontinued  till 
Friends  in  God's  wisdom  shall  see  a  further  occasion ;"  and  it  was 
likewise  agreed  that  the  General  Meeting  of  Friends  who  labour  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  do  continue  as  formerly  appointed.* 

The  establishment  of  Friends'  meetings  for  discipline  in  the  British 
American  provinces  was  nearly  coeval  with  their  institution  in  the 
mother  country.  The  Friends  that  came  earliest  to  this  continent  on  a 
religious  mission,  were  Mary  Fisher  and  Ann  Austin,  who  arrived  in 
Boston  in  1656,  and  were  immediately  banished  to  Barbadoes  on  account 
of  their  religious  principles.  Two  days  after  their  expulsion,  eight 
other  Friends  arrived  from  England  on  the  same  errand,  who  were  also 
banished,  after  being  imprisoned.  Six  of  them  returned  the  next  year, 
accompanied  by  five  others,  in  a  small  vessel  called  the  "  Woodhouse," 
owned  and  commanded  by  Robert  Fowler,  who  was  also  a  ministering 
Friend.  Part  of  this  company  landed  at  New  Amsterdam  (now  New 
York),  and  the  others  proceeded  in  the  vessel  to  Providence,  whence 
they  travelled  into  various  places,  preaching  the  gospel. 

Very  soon  after  the  arrival  of  these  gospel  messengers,  meetings  for 
worship  were  established,  and  regularly  kept  up,  at  Providence  and 
Rhode  Island.  The  principles  of  Friends  were  also  embraced  by  many 
in  Massachusetts,  notwithstanding  the  violent  measures  adopted  to 
arrest  their  progress.  In  the  year  1660,  Monthly  Meetings  had  been 
established  at  Sandwich,  Scituate,  and  Duxbury.f  In  1671,  John 
Burnyeat  attended  the  Yearly  Meeting  in  Rhode  Island,  "  which,"  he 
says,  "  begins  the  9th  of  the  4th  month,  every  year,  and  is  a  General 
Meeting  once  a  year  for  all  Friends  in  New  England." J  He  had  just 
before  attended  the  Half-year's  Meeting  at  Oyster  Bay,  on  Long  Island, 
from  which  it  appears  that  the  principles  of  Friends  had  been  embraced 
by  many  within  the  province  of  New  York. 

In  1672,  a  General  Meeting  of  Friends  was  held  at  West  River,  in 
Maryland,  and  another  at  the  Cliffs,  in  the  same  province ;  both  of 
which  were  attended  by  George  Fox,  as  related  in  his  Life.  In  the 
same  year,  William  Edmundson,  being  in  Virginia,  induced  the  Friends 
there  to  hold  a  meeting  for  discipline,  and  soon  after  George  Fox  at- 
tended similar  meetings  in  that  province. 

At  this  period  there  were  but  few  Friends  in  North  Carolina,  and 
their  settlements  in  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  had  not  been  com- 
menced. 

The  meetings  for  discipline,  to  which  reference  has  been  made,  were, 

*  Friends'  Library,  I.  117.  f  Bowden's  History,  1. 1 53-4, 

f  John  Burayeat's  Journal,  40. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  485 

at  their  first  institution,  conducted  by  men ;  but  it  was  not  long  before 
women  were  invited  to  come  forward  and  take  an  active  share  in  the 
concerns  of  the  Society.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  features  in  the 
religious  economy  established  among  Friends,  is  its  tendency  to  elevate 
woman  to  that  rank  in  society  for  which  she  was  evidently  designed. 
Having  acknowledged  her  equality  with  man,  in  the  exercise  of  the 
gospel  ministry,  they  were  led  to  believe  that  she  was  also  endowed 
with  qualifications  for  usefulness  in  the  government  of  the  church, 
which  ought  not  to  be  neglected. 

"  George  Fox  was  the  instrument  by  whom  this  salutary  change  was  in- 
troduced, being,  as  he  says,  'moved  of  the  Lord  to  recommend  women's 
meetings  for  the  benefit  of  the  church  of  Christ.'  'That  faithful  women, 
called  to  the  belief  of  the  truth,  made  partakers  of  the  same  precious  faith, 
and  heirs  of  the  same  everlasting  gospel  of  life  and  salvation  as  the  men 
are,  might  in  like  manner  come  into  the  possession  and  practice  of  the 
gospel  order,  and  therein  be  meet  helps  unto  the  men  in  the  restoration,  in 
the  service  of  truth,  in  the  affairs  of  the  church,  as  they  are  outwardly  in 
civil  or  temporal  things.  That  so  all  the  family  of  God,  women  as  well  as 
men,  might  know,  possess,  perform,  and  discharge  their  offices  and  services 
in  the  house  of  God,  whereby  the  poor  might  be  the  better  taken  care  of; 
the  younger  sort  instructed,  informed,  and  taught  in  the  way  of  God ;  the 
loose  and  disorderly  reproved  and  admonished  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  the 
clearness  of  persons  proposing  marriage  more  closely  and  strictly  inquired 
into  in  the  wisdom  of  God  ;  and  all  the  members  of  the  spiritual  body,  the 
church,  might  wateh  over  and  be  helpful  to  each  other  in  love.'  "* 

For  many  years  after  the  rise  of  the  Society,  the  persecution  to  which 
Friends  were  subjected  in  England,  and  most  of  her  American  colonies, 
rendered  it  necessary  for  some  of  the  members  frequently  to  wait  upon 
persons  in  authority,  on  behalf  of  their  suffering  brethren  and  sisters, 
as  well  as  to  visit  the  prisons  to  afford  them  assistance.  These  duties, 
and  others  pertaining  to  the  general  interests  of  the  Society,  were,  in 
the  year  1675,  committed  to  the  care  of  men  appointed  by  the  Quarterly 
Meetings,  and  the  body  thus  constituted,  which  met  at  stated  periods, 
was  called  the  Meeting  for  Sufferings. 

This  meeting  is  still  continued,  and  is  understood  to  represent  the 
Yearly  Meeting  of  London  during  its  recess.  The  Yearly  Meetings  of 
Friends  on  the  American  continent,  which  are  all  independent  of  each 
other,  and  of  the  London  Yearly  Meeting,  have  each  a  representative 
committee,  called  a  Meeting  for  Sufferings,  to  which  is  committed  the 
care  of  all  property  belonging  to  the  body,  the  revision  and  publication 
of  books  relating  to  Friends'  principles,  and,  in  general,  to  represent 
the  Yearly  Meeting,  and  appear  on  its  behalf  in  all  cases  where  the 
cause  of  truth,  or  the  interest  or  reputation  of  the  Society,  may  render 
it  needful. 

*  Journal,  II.  173. 


486  A   DISSERTATION 

MEETINGS    FOR    DISCIPLINE. 

The  meetings  for  discipline  in  the  Society  of  Friends  are  called  Pre- 
parative, Monthly,  Quarterly,  and  Yearly;  the  former  being  subordi- 
nate to  the  latter  in  the  order  here  indicated.  In  all  these  meetings, 
except  those  composed  of  ministers  and  elders,  every  member  not  under 
dealings  for  a  breach  of  discipline,  is  at  liberty  to  sit  and  participate. 
The  men  and  women  meet  in  separate  apartments,  and  are  co-ordinate 
branches  of  the  same  meeting,  each  having  a  clerk  of  its  own,  but  in 
some  cases  they  appoint  joint  committees  to  prepare  business,  in  which 
both  branches  are  interested.  The  clerks  are  nominated  by  committees, 
and  after  consideration,  appointed  by  the  meeting.  It  is  the  duty  of 
the  clerk  to  gather  the  sense  or  judgment  of  the  members  present,  and 
to  record  their  decisions  on  such  questions  as  may  come  before  them. 

Monthly  meetings  may  be  considered  the  executive  organs  of  the 
Society,  being  intrusted  with  the  power  of  receiving  or  disowning 
members,  granting  or  accepting  certificates  of  removal,  directing  and 
recording  the  solemnization  of  marriages,  keeping  a  register  of  births 
and  deaths,  providing  for  the  support  of  the  poor  and  the  education  of 
their  children,  inquiring  at  stated  periods  into  the  condition  of  the  society, 
and  forwarding  an  account  of  the  same  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting. 

Several  monthly  meetings,  generally  contiguous  to  each  other,  form 
a  Quarterly  Meeting,  and  all  the  quarterly  meetings,  within  certain 
limits,  form  a  Yearly  Meeting.  Appeals  from  a  Monthly  Meeting  may 
be  taken  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting,  and  thence  to  the  Yearly  Meeting, 
which  exercises  a  general  supervision  over  all  the  meetings  within 
its  limits,  and  issues  advices  in  relation  to  the  state  of  the  society  and 
the  support  of  its  testimonies. 

"  In  these  solemn  assemblies,"  says  William  Penn,  "  no  one  presides 
among  them  after  the  manner  of  the  assemblies  of  other  people,  Christ 
only  being  their  president,  as  he  is  pleased  to  appear  in  life  and  wisdom  in 
any  one  or  more  of  them,  to  whom,  whatever  be  their  capacity  or  decree, 
the  rest  adhere  with  a  firm  unity,  not  of  authority,  but  conviction  ;  which 
is  the  Divine  authority  and  way  of  Christ's  power  and  spirit  in  his  people ; 
making  good  his  blessed  promise  that  'He  would  be  in  the  midst  of  his, 
where  and  whenever  they  were  met  together  in  his  name,  even  to  the  end 
of  the  world.'  "  * 

It  is  obvious  that  a  church  thus  constituted  cannot  act  upon  the  prin- 
ciple of  political  bodies,  where  the  majority  governs ;  and  it  is  still 
more  objectionable  for  a  minority  to  assume  the  right  to  govern.  The 
only  way  to  preserve  "  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,"  is 
for  every  member  in  such  meetings  to  draw  nigh  to  the  Fountain  of 
light  and  life,  in  order  to  "  ask  wisdom  of  God,  who  giveth  to  all  men 


*  Preface  to  George  Fox's  Journal. 


ON   CHRISTIAN  DISCIPLINE.  487 

liberally  and  upbraideth  not."  While  waiting  upon  Him  in  this  frame 
of  mind,  each  member  is  at  liberty,  under  a  sense  of  duty,  to  express 
his  views  with  meekness,  and  if  they  proceed  from  the  pure  teachings 
of  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  they  will  meet  the  witness  for  truth  in  other 
minds,  and  being  responded  to,  will  prevail  over  the  meeting.  It  some- 
times occurs  that  one  of  the  younger  members,  being  unbiassed  and 
wholly  resigned  to  follow  his  impressions  of  duty,  becomes  the  instru- 
ment to  point  out  the  right  course,  which,  being  acceded  to  by  others, 
is  adopted  by  the  meeting ;  but  in  most  cases  the  older  and  more  expe- 
rienced members  are  expected  to  take  the  lead  in  all  matters  of  im- 
portance. 

Although  there  may,  at  first,  be  some  diversity  of  sentiment,  it  sel- 
dom happens  that  a  meeting  where  Divine  love  prevails,  is  long  in 
doubt  concerning  any  matter  that  is  necessary  to  be  decided.  A  meet- 
ing may  be  thrown  into  confusion  by  entering  into  the  discussion  of 
questions  with  which  it  has  no  proper  concern,  in  which  case,  stepping 
oat  of  its  province,  it  has  no  right  to  expect  Divine  guidance.  If  a 
considerable  degree  of  unanimity  cannot  be  attained,  it  is  best  not  to 
insist  upon  a  decision,  but  rather  to  wait  and  adjourn  from  time  to  time, 
or  dismiss  the 'question. 

When  discipline  cannot  be  exercised  with  good  feelings,  and  toler- 
able unanimity,  it  is  better  to  stand  still ;  for  if  unity  and  love  do  not 
prevail,  it  is  an  evidence  that  the  spirit  of  Christ  does  not  sanction  our 
proceedings,  and,  like  the  Israelites  of  old,  we  should  be  careful  not  to 
move  forward  so  long  as  "  the  cloud  rests  upon  the  tabernacle,  "  whether 
it  be  two  days,  or  a  month,  or  a  year."  * 

In  every  Monthly  Meeting  of  Friends,  two  or  more  persons  of  each 
sex  are  appointed  as  overseers,  whose  duty  is — 

"  To  exercise  a  vigilant  and  tender  care  over  their  fellow-members,  that 
if  anything  repugnant  to  the  harmony  and  good  order  of  the  Society  appears 
amongst  them,  it  may  be  timely  attended  to.  And  to  prevent  the  introduc- 
tion of  all  unnecessary  and  premature  complaints  into  meetings  of  business, 
it  is  understood  that  if  any  member  shall  have  cause  of  complaint  against 
another,  it  be  mentioned  to  the  overseers,  who  are  to  see  that  the  party  com- 
plained of  has  been  treated  with  according  to  gospel  order  previously  to 
the  case  being  reported  to  the  Preparative  or  Monthly  Meeting.  And  it  is 
desired  that  in  treating  with  any,  it  be  done  in  meekness  and  love,  patiently 
endeavouring  to  instruct  and  advise  them,  which,  if  ineffectual,  the  Prepa- 
rative Meeting  should  be  informed  thereof,  that,  if  needful,  the  case  may 
be  laid  before  the  Monthly  Meeting,  of  which  notice  should  be  given  to  the 
party  when  it  can  conveniently  be  done."  f 

To  the  meetings  for  discipline  among  Friends;  none  but  their  own 
members  are  admitted,  unless  by  application  to  the  meeting,  special 


*  Num.  ix.  22.  t Book  of  Discipline,  Bait.  Y.  M. 


488  A   DISSERTATION 

permission  is  obtained  for  the  attendence  of  some  who  arc  convinced 
of  their  principles.  This  regulation  having  been  censured  by  some 
persons  without  due  consideration,  the  following  reasons  for  it  are  ad- 
duced, as  being  in  my  view  conclusive. 

First.  A  part  of  the  business  of  meetings  for  discipline  is  to  deal 
with  offenders,  and  it  is  obviously  improper  and  uncharitable  to  expose 
to  the  public  view,  the  weaknesses  or  faults  of  our  brethren  and  sisters 
until  every  effort  is  made  to  reclaim  them. 

Secondly.  The  presence  of  spectators  would  deter  some  members 
from  the  free  expression  of  their  sentiments,  and  thus  by  obstructing 
their  services,  would  prevent  their  growth  in  religious  experience  and 
usefulness. 

Thirdly.  The  Meeting  Houses,  especially  at  the  times  of  Quarterly 
and  Yearly  Meeting,  are  in  some  places,  filled  with  members,  whom  it 
would  be  obviously  improper  to  exclude,  or  incommode  by  the  admission 
of  persons  not  concerned  in  the  business  of  the  meeting. 

Fourthly.  The  Society  of  Friends  considers  all  its  members,  as  con- 
stituting one  family,  or  "  household  of  faith  ;"  and  it  would  be  as  un- 
reasonable for  the  public  to  expect  admittance  to  its  deliberations,  con- 
cerning its  own  affairs,  as  for  strangers  to  obtrude  into  the  domestic 
arrangements  of  a  private  family. 

MEETINGS    FOR    WORSHIP. 

In  meetings  for  public  worship,  the  preservation  of  order  is  placed 
under  the  care  of  ministers  and  elders,  who  are  also  expected  to  inti- 
mate the  time  when  the  congregation  shall  disperse.  Any  members, 
male  or  female,  who  may  feel  a  persuasion  of  duty  to  address  the 
meeting  by  way  of  exhortation,  or  to  appear  in  public  prayer,  are  at 
liberty  to  do  so.  Should  their  offerings  in  this  way  be  acceptable,  and 
edifying  to  the  meeting,  the  elders,  if  needful,  may  encourage  them  to 
attend  to  their  convictions  of  duty ;  but  if  their  communications  be- 
come burdensome  to  the  meeting,  and  are  believed  to  be  without  the 
life  and  authority  of  the  gospel,  the  elders  are  authorised  to  give  such 
counsel  or  admonition,  as  the  case  requires.  It  is  obviously  improper, 
that  an  individual  whose  services  are  not  edifying,  but  hurtful  to  the 
meeting,  should  be  permitted  long  to  continue  a  practice  which  frus- 
trates the  very  object  of  assembling  for  divine  worship. 

In  the  exercise  of  this  authority  by  the  elders,  great  tenderness  and 
caution  should  be  observed,  lest  they  discourage  some  that  are  really 
called  to  the  ministry,  and  who  require  only  the  affectionate  and  judi- 
cious counsel  of  their  friends.  The  advice  of  George  Fox  on  this  head 
is  wise  and  salutary. 


ON    CHRISTIAN    DISCIPLINE.  489 

In  an  epistle  to  Friends,  he  says,  "  All  my  dear  friends  in  the  noble  seed 
of  God,  who  have  known  his  power,  life  and  presence  among  you,  let  it  be 
your  joy  to  hear  or  see  the  springs  of  life  break  forth  in  any  ;  through  which 
ye  have  all  unity  in  the  same  feeling,  life  and  power.  And  above  all  things 
take  heed  of  judging  any  one  openly  in  your  meetings,  except  they  be  openly 
prophane  or  rebellious."  ....  li  But  such  as  are  tender,  if  they  should  be 
moved  to  bubble  forth  a  few  words,  and  speak  in  the  Seed  and  Lamb's 
power,  suffer  and  bear  that."  ....  "  And  if  they  should  go  beyond  their 
measure,  bear  it  in  the  meeting  for  peace  and  order's  sake,  and  that  the 
spirits  of  the  world  be  not  moved  against  you.  But  when  the  meeting  is 
done,  if  any  be  moved  to  speak  to  them,  between  you  and  them,  one  or  two 
of  you  that  feel  it  in  the  life,  do  it  in  the  love  and  wisdom  that  is  pure  and 
gentle  from  above,  for  love  is  that  which  edifies,  bears  all  things,  suffers 
long,  and  fulfils  the  law."  * 

In  another  epistle,  he  says,  "Friends,  do  not  judge  one  another  in  meet- 
ings, ye  that  do  minister  in  the  meetings:  for  your  so  doing  hath  hurt  the 
people,  both  within  and  without,  and  yourselves  under  their  judgment  ye 
have  brought.  And  your  judging  one  another  in  the  meetings  hath  em- 
boldened others  to  quarrel,  and  judge  you  also  in  the  meetings.  And  this 
hath  been  all  out  of  order,  and  the  church  order  also.  Now  if  ye  have  any 
thing  to  say  to  any,  stay  till  the  meeting  be  done,  and  then  speak  to  them 
in  private  between  yourselves,  and  do  not  lay  open  one  another's  weakness; 
for  that  is  weakness  and  not  wisdom  to  do  so.  For  your  judging  one  an- 
other in  meetings  hath  almost  destroyed  some  Friends,  and  distracted  them. 
And  this  is  for  want  of  love  that  beareth  all  things ;  and  therefore  let  it  be 
amended.''  f 

Again,  he  writes,  "Friends,  be  careful  how  you  set  your  feet  among  the 
tender  plants,  that  are  springing  up  out  of  God's  earth,  lest  ye  tread  upon 
them,  hurt  them,  bruise  them,  or  crush  them  in  God's  vineyard."  J 

MINISTERS    AND     ELDERS. 

In  addition  to  the  meetings  for  worship  and  church  government 
already  named,  there  are  others,  composed  exclusively  of  ministers  and 
elders,  which  have  no  control  over  the  other  members,  and  no  right  to 
meddle  with  changes  of  discipline.  Their  objects  are  to  investigate 
their  own  spiritual  condition,  and  to  encourage  one  another  to  love  and 
good  works.  When  any  Friend  has  frequently  appeared  in  the  public 
ministry,  the  Preparative  Meeting  of  ministers  and  elders,  after  allow- 
ing sufficient  time  for  a  judgment  to  be  formed,  may  take  the  subject 
under  consideration,  and  if  they  believe  a  gift  in  the  ministry  has  been 
conferred,  the  case  is  reported  to  the  Monthly  Meeting  for  discipline. 
If  that  meeting,  in  both  its  branches,  men's  and  women's,  concur  in 
the  recommendation,  a  minute  to  that  effect  is  forwarded  to  the  Quar- 
terly Meeting  of  ministers  and  elders,  and  if  there  confirmed,  the 
person  so  recommended  stands  as  an  acknowledged  minister  of  the 
Society. 

A  minister  who  has  a  prospect  of  travelling  in  the  service  of  the 

*  Journal,  I.  289,  90.        f  Works,  Vol.  VII.  114.         J  Journal,  I.  333. 


490  A   DISSERTATION 

gospel,  makes  it  known  to  the  Monthly  Meeting,  where,  after  due  de- 
liberation, if  approved,  a  certificate  or  minute  of  concurrence  is  granted, 
recommending  him  or  her  to  the  care  and  attention  of  Friends.  In 
cases  where  extensive  services  are  in  view,  the  Quarterly  Meeting  is 
also  consulted,  and  even  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  ministers  and  elders, 
when  the  prospect  extends  beyond  sea.  A  companion  for  the  journey 
is  generally  found,  and,  in  case  of  need,  means  are  supplied  to  defray 
the  expenses.  This,  however,  is  seldom  requisite,  as  ministers  among 
Friends  are  unwilling  to  receive  pecuniary  assistance,  if  they  can 
possibly  avoid  it. 

The  benefits  to  be  derived  from  this  care  over  ministers,  and  the  ac- 
knowledgment of  their  gifts,  are  obvious ;  but  having,  of  late  years, 
been  called  in  question  by  some  persons,  may  be  briefly  noticed. 

First.  It  is  found  that  some  who  think  themselves  required  to  appear 
as  ministers,  are  not  qualified  to  speak  to  "  edification  or  comfort,"  and 
it  is  far  better  that  such  cases  should  be  under  the  care  of  a  few  judi- 
cious elders,  than  be  left  with  the  meeting  at  large.  In  almost  every 
meeting,  there  are  some  weak  or  inexperienced  members,  who  are  liable 
to  be  carried  away  by  "  every  wind  of  doctrine,"  and  there  are  others 
who  pay  more  regard  to  the  manner  and  diction  of  ministers,  than  to 
the  matter  delivered.  Such  persons,  if  they  undertake  to  become  judges 
of  the  ministry,  form  erroneous  conclusions,  and  parties  being  formed 
in  the  meeting,  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the  body  are  impaired. 

Secondly.  In  order  that  ministers,  when  properly  called  and  quali- 
fied, may  be  encouraged  to  occupy  the  gifts  intrusted  to  them,  and  that 
when  they  travel  abroad  in  the  service  of  the  gospel,  they  may  be  recog- 
nized by  other  branches  of  the  Society,  where  they  are  personally 
strangers,  it  has  been  found  best  that  the  meeting  to  which  they  belong 
should  acknowledge  their  gifts,  after  a  sufficient  time  has  been  allowed 
to  form  a  correct  judgment. 

Thirdly.  This  acknowledgment  or  recommendation  of  a  minister 
confers  no  pre-eminence  that  should  elevate  him  in  his  own  esteem,  or 
excite  the  jealousy  of  others ;  for  it  was  said  to  the  disciples,  "  One  is 
your  master,  even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren."  So  far  from  the 
meeting  assuming  the  power  to  give  a  call  to  the  ministry,  the  very  act 
of  acknowledging  the  gift  conferred  by  the  Head  of  the  church,  is  a 
renunciation  of  all  such  power. 

Fourthly.  The  appointment  of  elders  being  intrusted  to  the  Monthly 
Meeting,  all  members  who  are  qualified  may  be  considered  eligible  to 
the  station,  and  therefore  it  is  not  liable  to  the  charge  of  creating  a 
caste  in  the  Society.  It  is  only  assigning  specific  duties  to  those  who 
are  considered  qualified  for  their  performance,  and  it  appears  to  be 
warranted  by  the  pvactice  of  the  primitive  Christian  church. 


ON   CHKISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  491 

It  is  the  duty  of  elders  to  watch,  with  parental  care,  over  the  whole 
flock,  extending  a  hand  of  help  and  a  word  of  encouragement  wher- 
ever it  is  needed.  They  are  not  only  to  sit  with  ministers,  but  to  en- 
deavour to  sympathize  with  them  in  their  religious  exercises,  and  when 
they  perceive  that  a  minister,  through  unwatchfulness,  or  a  desire  of 
applause,  runs  into  an  excess  of  words,  without  the  life  and  power  of 
the  gospel,  or  even  if  he  fall  into  a  habit  of  delivery  unsuitable  to  the 
dignity  of  the  subject,  it  is  their  duty,  in  a  kind  and  affectionate  man- 
ner, to  extend  suitable  counsel.  This  may  also  be  done  by  other 
members  of  the  Society,  who  may  feel  it  their  duty ;  but  there  is  an 
obvious  propriety  in  this  service  being  committed  to  discreet,  experi- 
enced minds,  such  as  elders  ought  to  be,  for  should  it  become  a  subject 
of  general  remark,  the  minister's  usefulness  would  be  impaired,  his 
feelings  might  be  wounded,  and  the  harmony  of  the  society  endangered. 
Like  all  other  institutions,  the  eldership  is  liable  to  abuse,  when  in- 
trusted to  improper  hands,  and  it  has  perhaps  in  some  cases  been  made 
an  engine  of  oppression;  but  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  ministry 
itself,  which,  although  a  great  blessing  when  preserved  in  purity,  be- 
comes the  most  terrible  of  all  scourges  when  it  falls  into  the  hands  of 
a  mercenary  or  bigoted  priesthood. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

Monthly  Meetings  are  authorised  by  the  discipline  to  admit  into 
membership  those  who  are  convinced  of  the  principles  of  Friends,  after 
having  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  them  concerning  the 
motives  of  their  application,  and  to  inquire  into  their  moral  characters. 

The  greater  part  of  the  society,  however,  is  composed  of  those  who 
are  members  by  birthright;  and  this  regulation  having  been  much 
censured  by  some,  appears  to  demand  an  attentive  examination.  The 
chief  grounds  of  objection  are,  that  birthright  membership,  even  when 
followed  by  a  guarded  and  religious  education,  does  not  confer  grace, 
and  cannot  of  itself  make  any  one  a  member  of  the  true  church  of 
Christ.  And  moreover,  that  persons  who  become  in  this  way  members 
of  a  religious  society,  may  rely  upon  it  to  their  own  injury,  like  those 
Jews  who  said,  "have  we  not  Abraham  for  our  father?"  Thus,  it  is 
asserted,  many  will  grow  up  to  be  merely  moral  men  and  women, 
without  vital  religion,  "  having  the  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the 
power  thereof;"  and  being  employed  in  the  administration  of  the 
discipline,  they  will  introduce  into  the  church  a  state  of  lifeless  for- 
mality. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  these  objections  are  not  without  weight,  but 
I  think  they  are  over-balanced  by  the  following  considerations. 

First.  Although  a  birthright   in   a  religious   society  cannot  confer 


492  A   DISSERTATION 

grace,  yet  we  believe  children  are  born  in  a  state  of  innocence ;  and  if 
they  die  in  this  state,  they  will  be  received  into  the  mansions  of  bliss, 
agreeably  to  the  declaration  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  "Suffer  little  children 
to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  If  they  are  fit  for  heaven,  are  they  not  worthy  to  be  consi- 
dered members  of  the  church  ? 

Secondly.  Under  the  Mosaic  law,  the  children  of  Israelites  inherited 
the  religious  privileges  of  their  parents,  receiving  in  their  flesh  the 
seal  of  the  covenant ;  and  likewise  in  nearly  all  denominations  of 
Christians,  the  children  of  members  are  baptized  by  sprinkling,  to 
indicate  their  initiation  into  the  visible  church,  and  their  acceptance 
of  salvation  through  Christ. 

Now  it  is  evident  that  neither  the  Jewish  rite,  nor  the  baptismal 
ceremony,  can  of  itself  confer  the  gift  of  Divine  grace,  nor  secure  a 
holy  life.  They  are,  at  best,  only  visible  signs,  expressive  of  an  invi- 
sible grace,  which,  according  to  the  doctrines  of  Friends,  is  offered  to 
the  acceptance  of  all,  for  "  the  grace  of  God  which  bringeth  salvation 
hath  appeared  to  all  men."  Therefore,  in  classing  as  members  all  the 
children  of  members,  and  in  rejecting  the  ceremony  of  water-baptism, 
the  society  acts  consistently  with  its  principles. 

The  Jewish  custom  of  birth-right  membership,  was  evidently  re- 
tained in  the  primitive  Christian  church,  for  the  apostle  Paul  writes  to 
the  Corinthians,  concerning  Christians  married  to  unbelievers,  "  The 
unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving 
wife  by  the  husband :  else  were  your  children  unclean,  but  now  are 
they  holy."* 

Thirdly.  When  we  consider  the  close  affinity  between  parents  and 
their  offspring,  and  that  children  inherit  not  only  the  condition  in  life, 
but  often  the  mental  and  physical  peculiarities  of  their  parents,  and 
when  we  reflect,  moreover,  that  the  training  given  in  infancy  has  a 
decided  and  lasting  influence  upon  human  character,  it  is  abundantly 
manifest,  that  in  a  great  majority  of  cases,  the  children  of  pious  and 
judicious  parents  may  be  so  educated,  as  to  preserve  them  from  the 
contaminating  influence  of  the  world,  and  to  cherish  in  their  hearts 
the  principles  of  righteousness.  The  care  extended  by  the  Society  of 
Friends  over  its  junior  members,  and  the  consciousness  they  feel  that 
they  are  entitled  to  the  privileges,  and  amenable  to  the  rules,  of  the 
discipline,  have  a  most  salutary  influence  upon  their  characters. 

MARRIAGE. 

As  early  as  the  year  1653,  being  several  years  prior  to  the  general 
establishment  of  meetings  for  discipline  among  Friends,  George  Fox 

*  1  Cor.  vii.  14. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  493 

issued  advices  in  relation  to  marriage.  Subsequently,  he  addressed  to 
the  meetings  of  Friends,  several  epistles  in  which  he  designated  the 
manner  to  be  observed  in  its  solemnization. 

"The  right  joining  in  marriage  is  the  work  of  the  Lord  only,  and  not  the 
priests  or  magistrates;  for  it  is  God's  ordinance, and  not  man's.  And,  there- 
fore, Friends  cannot  consent  that  they  should  join  them  together.  For  we 
marry  none — it  is  the  Lord's  work,  and  we  are  but  witnesses.  But  yet  if  a 
Friend.,  through  tenderness,  have  a  desire  that  the  magistrate  should  know 
it,  (after  the  marriage  is  performed  in  a  public  meeting  of  Friends  and 
others,  according  to  the  holy  order  and  practice  of  Friends  in  truth  through- 
out the  world,  and  according  to  the  manner  of  the  holy  men  and  women 
of  God  of  old,)  he  may  go  and  carry  a  copy  of  the  certificate  to  the  magis- 
trate ;  Friends  are  left  to  their  freedom  herein.  But  for  priests  or  magis- 
trates to  marry  or  join  any  in  that  relation,  it  is  not  according  to  the  scrip- 
ture; and  our  testimony  and  practice  hath  been  always  against  it.  It  was 
God's  work  before  the  fall,  and  it  is  God's  work  only  in  the  restoration/'  * 

In  order  to  avoid  all  just  cause  of  offence,  a  notice  of  the  proposed 
marriage  was  twice  published  in  meetings  for  worship,  or  some  other 
place  of  public  resort,  and  care  was  taken  to  inquire  into  the  clearness 
of  the  parties  from  other  similar  engagements.  When  widows  were 
about  to  be  married,  inquiry  was  made  whether  the  children  of  a  former 
husband,  if  any,  had  their  legal  rights  properly  secured.  The  solem- 
nization of  the  marriage  took  place  in  a  meeting  for  divine  worship ; 
the  parties  taking  each  other  by  the  hand  and  promising  with  divine 
assistance,  to  be  loving  and  faithful,  until  death  should  separate  them ; 
and  then  they  signed  a  certificate,  stating  the  engagement,  and  manner 
of  proceeding ;  which  certificate  was  also  attested  by  the  signatures  of 
many  others,  who  had  witnessed  the  ceremony. 

The  wisdom  of  these  precautions  soon  became  apparent,  for  the 
clergy  of  the  Anglican  Church  claimed  the  exclusive  privilege  to  join 
people  in  marriage ;  which  pretension  being  sanctioned  by  law,  and 
rendered  lucrative,  —  caused  the  marriages  of  Friends  to  be  called  in 
question  by  some.  At  length  a  case  occurred,  as  related  in  the  Life  of 
George  Fox,  of  a  Friend's  marriage  being  brought  before  a  legal  tri- 
bunal, when,  after  a  full  investigation,  its  legality  was  clearly  estab- 
lished. 

BURIALS. 

The  same  simplicity,  or  freedom  from  ceremony,  which  characterized 
the  meetings  and  marriages  of  the  primitive  Friends,  was  observed  at  the 
interment  of  their  dead.  The  corpse  was  laid  in  a  plain  coffin  without 
any  covering  or  furniture  upon  it.  At  the  grave,  a  solemn  pause  was 
observed,  to  afford  time  for  serious  reflection,  as  well  as  an  opportunity 
for  any  who  might  be  impelled  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  offer  a  word  of 

*  George  Fox's  Works.  VII.  336. 


494  A   DISSERTATION 

exhortation.     No  habits  of  mourning  were  worn,  nor  were  any  monu- 
ments with  inscriptions  of  a  eulogistic  character  placed  over  the  grave. 

CHARITY    AND    CARE    OE     THE     POOR. 

As,  in  the  primitive  Christian  church,  the  care  of  widows  and  orphans, 
and  the  assistance  of  the  poor,  claimed  the  early  attention  of  the  disci- 
ples, so,  at  the  rise  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  these  were  among  the 
first  objects  in  the  administration  of  their  discipline. 

They  were  not  willing  that  their  poor  should  be  dependent  on  the 
parish  for  support,  but  funds  for  their  relief  were  raised  by  voluntary 
subscription  among  the  members ;  nor  were  they  unmindful  of  the 
duty  that  devolves  upon  all  to  contribute,  according  to  their  means,  in 
works  of  general  charity.  The  following  extract  from  the  Journal  of 
George  Fox  illustrates  their  manner  of  proceeding.  After  speaking  of 
the  General  Meeting  at  Skipton,  in  the  year  1660,  he  says : — 

"This  meeting  had  stood  several  years,  and  divers  justices  and  captains 
had  come  to  break  it  up ;  but  when  they  understood  the  business  Friends 
met  about,  and  saw  Friends'  books,  and  accounts  of  collections  for  relief 
of  the  poor,  how  we  took  care  one  county  to  help  another,  and  to  help  our 
Friends  beyond  the  sea,  and  provide  for  our  poor,  that  none  of  them  should 
be  chargeable  to  their  parishes,  &c.,  the  justices  and  officers  confessed  that 
we  .did  their  work,  and  would  pass  away  peaceably  and  lovingly,  com- 
mending Friends'  practice.  Sometimes  there  would  come  two  hundred  of 
the  poor  of  other  people,  and  wait  till  the  meeting  was  done,  (for  all  the 
country  knew  we  met  about  the  poor.)  and  after  the  meeting  Friends  would 
send  to  the  bakers  for  bread,  and  give  everyone  of  those  poor  people  a 
loaf,  how  many  soever  there  were  of  them,  for  we  were  taught  '  to  do 
good  unto  all,  though  especially  to  the  household  of  faith.'  " 

The  epistles  of  George  Fox  abound  with  exhortations  to  liberality  in 
supplying  the  wants  of  the  poor,  administering  to  the  relief  of  prison- 
ers, and  providing  for  the  support  of  widows  and  orphans. 

The  discipline  of  the  Society  requires  "  that  the  condition  of  its  mem- 
bers, who  are  in  indigent  circumstances,  be  duly  inspected,  in  order  that 
advice  and  relief  may  be  seasonably  extended,  and  assistance  afforded  to 
them  in  such  business  as  they  are  capable  of.  To  defray  the  expenses 
which  their  support  and  the  education  of  their  children  will  necessarily 
occasion,  it  is  recommended  to  each  Monthly  or  Preparative  Meeting  of 
men  and  women  Friends,  to  be  liberal  in  subscriptions  for  raising  and  con- 
tinuing funds  for  these  purposes.  And  in  the  exercise  of  this  benevolent 
care,  it  is  desired  that  we  may  always  guard  against  unnecessarily  exposing 
the  names  or  situation  of  our  fellow-members."  * 

TRADE    AND    BUSINESS. 

So  strong  was  the  popular  prejudice  against  the  Society  of  Friends 
at  its  first  rise,  that  many  refused  to  deal  with  them.  It  was  not  long, 

*  Discipline  Bait.  Yearly  Meeting. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  495 

however,  before  their  probity  and  punctuality  became  so  extensively 
known,  as  to  gain  them  general  favour.  The  solicitude  of  George  Fox 
lest  they  should  be  drawn  away  by  the  cares  and  temptations  of  busi- 
ness, is  thus  expressed  in  his  epistles : 

"  At  first  you  know  that  many  could  not  take  so  much  money  in  your 
trade  as  to  buy  bread  with — all  people  stood  aloof  from  you  when  you 
stood  upright  and  gave  them  the  plain  language,  and  were  at  a  word  [in 
your  dealings];  but  now  that  through  this  you  are  come  to  answer  that  of 
God  in  all,  they  say  they  will  trust  you  before  their  own  people,  knowing 
you  will  not  wrong  nor  oppress  them.  And  the  cry  now  is,  where  is  there 
a  Quaker  of  such  or  such  a  trade  *  O,  therefore,  Friends,  who  have  pur- 
chased this  through  great  sufferings,  lose  not  this  great  favour  which  God 
hath  given  unto  you,  but  answer  the  witness  of  God  in  every  man  which 
witnesseth  your  faithfulness,  that  they  may  glorify  your  Father  on  your 
behalf.  All  Friends  everywhere,  that  are  shopkeepers  or  merchants,  or 
factors,  or  any  other  trade,  keep  low  in  the  power  of  God,  and  do  not  go 
beyond  your  capacity,  nor  reach  after  things  more  than  ye  can  justly  per- 
form, and  answer  all  men;  but  in  all  your  places  be  just  and  true,  that  ye 
may  answer  all  within  and  without  [the  Society],  and  truth  and  justice  in 
your  returns  ;  and  keep  your  words.  So  say,  and  so  do,  in  all  your  tradings, 
which  is  the  royal  law  of  liberty,  else  ye  are  a  dishonour  to  Christianity. 

"  Be  not  cumbered  nor  surfeited  with  the  riches  of  this  world,  nor  bound 
nor  straitened  with  them,  but  be  loose  and  free  from  them,  and  married  to 
the  Lord."  * 

EDUCATION. 

The  education  of  children  so  as  to  preserve  the  purity  of  their  morals, 
and  to  promote  practical  righteousness,  was,  in  the  view  of  George  Fox, 
an  object  of  primary  importance. 

The  following  extracts  are  from  his  epistles  to  Friends : 

"All  Friends,  train  up  your  children  in  the  fear  of  God;  and  as  they  are 
capable,  they  maybe  instructed  and  kept  employed  in  some  lawful  calling; 
that  they  may  be  diligent,  serving  the  Lord  in  the  things  that  are  good ;  that 
none  may  live  idle  and  be  destroyers  of  the  creation,  and  thereby  become 
burdensome  to  others,  and  to  the  just  [witness]  in  themselves."  ....  "It 
is  desired  that  all  Friends  who  have  children,  families  and  servants,  may 
train  them  up  in  the  pure  and  unspotted  religion,  and  in  the  nurture  and 
fear  of  God ;  and  that  frequently  they  read  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  is 
much  better  than  to  be  gadding  abroad.  And  exhort  and  admonish  them 
that  every  family  apart  may  serve  and  worship  the  Lord  as  well  as  in 
public."  .... 

But  although  he  considered  their  moral  and  religious  education  of 
the  first  importance,  he  was  not  indifferent  to  their  progress  in  useful 
literature  and  science. 

He  says  in  his  Journal,  under  date  1667,  "  I  advised  the  setting  up 
of  a  school  [at  Waltham]  for  teaching  boys,  and  also  a  women's  school 
to  be  opened  at  Shackelwell,  for  instructing  girls  and  young  maidens 

*  Friends'  Library,  I.  131. 


496  A   DISSERTATION 

in  whatsoever  things  were  civil  and  useful  in  the  creation."  He  also 
gave  a  piece  of  ground  which  he  owned  near  Philadelphia,  to  be  used 
as  a  botanical  garden  for  "  the  lads  and  lasses  of  the  city  to  walk  in, 
and  learn  the  habits  and  uses  of  the  plants."* 

SETTLEMENT  OF  DIFFERENCES. 

In  order  that  all  differences  among  members  of  the  society  might  be 
settled  amicably,  and  without  resort  to  the  legal  tribunals,  the  following 
mode  of  proceeding  was  recommended  by  George  Fox,  and  the  sub- 
stance of  it  ingrafted  into  the  Discipline. 

"If  there  happen  any  difference  between  Friend  and  Friend,  let  them 
speak  to  one  another ;  and  if  they  will  not  hear,  let  them  take  two  or  three 
of  the  meeting  they  belong  to,  that  they  may  end  it,  if  they  can.  And  if 
they  cannot  end  it,  then  it  may  be  laid  before  the  Monthly  Meeting.  And 
if  it  cannot  be  ended  there,  then  it  may  be  brought  before  the  Quarterly 
Meeting,  and  there  let  it  be  put  to  half  a  dozen  Friends,  that  they  may  end 
it  and  keep  their  meetings  quiet.  Or,  they  that  are  at  difference  may  choose 
three  Friends,  and  Friends  may  choose  three  more,  and  let  them  stand  to 
their  judgment.'' •)•  ....  "All  that  are  concerned  to  end  any  difference, 
let  them  have  but  one  ear  to  one  party,  and  let  them  reserve  the  other  ear 
for  the  other  party,  so  that  they  may  judge  impartially,  without  affection  or 
favour,  or  respect  of  persons."  £ 

The  settlement  of  differences  by  arbitration  has  been  found  to  suc- 
ceed admirably  well.  It  has  been  the  means  of  avoiding  the  ruinous 
expenses  of  law-suits,  and  in  most  cases  of  averting  the  animosities 
that  usually  attend  litigation.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  same  princi- 
ple might  with  great  advantage  be  adopted  in  civil  society,  and  the  ends 
of  justice,  in  most  cases,  more  effectually  promoted  than  by  the  present 
system  of  jurisprudence.  Clarkson  gives  an  account  of  an  institution 
formed  for  this  purpose,  called  "  The  Newcastle-upon-Tyne  Association 
for  general  Arbitration,"  which  was  remarkably  successful  in  settling 
differences  among  merchants  and  ship-owners.  He  says  it  was  finally 
destroyed  by  its  popularity,  for  so  many  persons  were  ambitious  of  the 
honour  of  becoming  members  of  the  committee,  that  some  of  inferior 
knowledge,  judgment,  and  character,  were  too  hastily  admitted  into  it ; 
which  impaired  the  public  confidence  in  its  decisions,  and  led  to  its 
extinction.  \ 

TREATMENT     OF    OFFENDERS. 

One  of  the  chief  objects  of  Christian  discipline,  is  to  endeavour  to 
reclaim  those  who  deviate  from  the  principles  of  Christianity. 

*  Evans's  Memoir  of  George  Fox.  f  George  Fox's  Works,  VII.  339. 

J  Friends'  Library,  I.  135. 

§  Portraiture  of  Quakerism,  in  Vol.  II.  ch.  v. 


ON   CHRISTIAN   DISCIPLINE.  497 

The  following  advices  on  this  subject,  from  the  epistles  of  George 
Fox,  show  the  manner  and  the  spirit  in  which  this  important  and  deli- 
cate service  should  be  conducted. 

"Now  concerning  gospel  order;  though  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  re- 
quireth  his  people'to  admonish  a  brother  or  sister  twice,  before  they  tell  the 
church,  yet  that  limiteth  none,  so  as  that  they  shall  use  no  longer  forbear- 
ance before  they  tell  the  church,  but  that  they  shall  not  less  than  twice,  ad- 
monish their  brother  or  sister  before  they  tell  the  church.  And  it  is  desired 
of  all,  that  before  they  publicly  complain,  they  wait  in  the  power  of  God, 
to  feel,  if  there  is  no  more  required  of  them  to  their  brother  or  sister,  before 
they  expose  him  or  her  to  the  church;  let  this  be  weightly  considered." 
"And  further,  when  the  church  is  told,  and  the  party  admonished  by  the 
church  again  and  again,  and  he  or  they  remain  still  insensible  and  unrecon- 
ciled, let  not  final  judgment  go  forth  against  him  or  her,  until  every  one  of 
the  meeting  have  cleared  his  or  her  conscience;  that  if  anything  be  upon 
any,  further  to  visit  such  transgressor,  they  may  clear  themselves,  that  if 
possible,  the  party  may  be  reached  and  saved.  And  after  all  are  clear  of 
the  blood  of  such  an  one,  let  the  judgment  of  Friends  in  the  power  of  God 
go  forth  against  him  or  her  ;  as  moved  for  the  Lord's  honour  and  glory's  sake, 
that  no  reproach  may  come  or  rest  upon  God's  holy  name,  truth,  and  people. 

"And  all  such  as  behold  their  brother  or  sister  in  a  transgression,  go  not 
in  a  rough,  light,  or  upbraiding  spirit  to  reprove  or  admonish  him  or  her  ; 
but  in  the  power  of  the  Lord,  and  spirit  of  the  Lamb,  and  in  the  wisdom 
and  love  of  the  truth,  which  suffers  thereby  to  admonish  such  an  offender. 
So  may  the  soul  of  such  a  brother  or  sister  be  seasonably  and  effectually 
reached  unto  and  overcome,  and  they  may  have  cause  to  bless  the  name  of 
the  Lord  on  their  behalf,  and  so  a  blessing  may  be  rewarded  into  the  bosom 
of  that  faithful  and  tender  brother  or  sister  that  so  admonished  them." 

"  And  be  it  known  unto  all,  that  we  cast  out  none  from  among  us ;  for  if 
they  go  from  the  life,  and  spirit  and  power,  in  which  our  unity  is,  they  cast 
out  themselves.  And  so  it  has  been  our  way  to  admonish  them,  that  they 
may  come  to  the  spirit  and  light  of  God,  which  they  are  gone  from,  and  so 
come  into  the  unity  again.  For  our  fellowship  stands  in  the  light  that  the 
world  hates,  and  in  the  spirit  which  the  world  grieves,  vexes  and  quenches  ; 
and  if  they  will  not  hear  our  admonition  as  before,  the  light  condemns  them, 
and  then  goes  the  testimony  of  truth  out  against  them. 

"  And  no  condemnation  ought  to  go  further  than  the  transgression  is  known. 
And  if  he  or  she  returns,  and  gives  forth  a  paper  of  condemnation  against 
him,  or  herself,  (which  is  more  desirable  than  that  we  should  do  it,)  this  is  a 
testimony  of  his  or  her  repentance  and  resurrection  before  God,  his  people, 
and  the  whole  world;  as  David,  when  Nathan  came  to  admonish  him. 

"And  let  no  testimony  by  way  of  condemnation  be  given  forth  against 
any  man  or  woman,  whatever  crime  they  commit  before  admonition,  and 
until  such  times  as  they  have  had  Gospel  order  according  to  Christ's  doc- 
trine." ''That  is,  'if  thy  brother  offend  thee,  speak  to  him,  betwixt  thee 
and  him ;  and  if  he  will  not  hear,  take  two  or  three  ;  if  he  will  not  hear 
two  or  three,  then  tell  it  to  the  church,"  &c.* 

CONCLUSION. 

This  sketch  of  the  origin  and  chief  provisions  of  the  Discipline  of 
*  George  Fox's  Works,  VII.  339-40. 

32 


498  A   DISSERTATION 

Friends  may,  not  inappropriately,  be  concluded  by  a  few  remarks  on 
the  benefit  derived  from  that  admirable  code. 

We  have  seen  that  many  of  its  most  important  provisions  were 
adopted  at  the  recommendation  of  George  Fox,  soon  after  the  rise  of 
the  society — that  others  were  added  as  experience  suggested  their  pro- 
priety—  and  that  its  arrangements,  nearly  as  they  now  stand,  were 
completed  during  the  life  of  that  eminent  man,  whom  William*  Penn 
terms  a  "  faithful  servant  and  apostle"  of  the  Most  High. 

In  the  Journal  of  George  Fox,  under  date  1667,  after  mentioning  the 
Monthly  Meetings  set  up,  and  their  care  "  to  admonish  and  exhort  such 
as  did  not  walk  as  becomes  the  gospel,"  he  adds ;  "  And  indeed,  these 
meetings  made  a  great  reformation  among  the  people,  insomuch  that 
the  justices  took  notice  of  their  usefulness."* 

This  sentiment  is  corroborated  by  other  writers  of  that  day,  and  fully 
sustained  by  the  following  passage  from  "  Gough's  History  of  the 
People  called  Quakers."  Referring  to  the  institution  of  the  Discipline, 
he  says — 

"This  economy  hath  ever  since  subsisted  amongst  this  people,  whereby 
the  great  ends  of  religious  society,  real  devotion  of  heart  towards  God,  a 
careful  and  circumspect  conversation  in  righteousness  and  honesty  amongst 
men,  and  the  mutual  edification  of  each  other  in  love,  have  been  materially 
promoted,  and  a  people  dispersed  in  sundry  quarters  of  the  world,  rendered 
a  compact  body,  engaged  in  a  zealous  and  mutual  concern  for  the  promotion 
of  peace  and  piety  amongst  themselves  and  mankind  in  general."  f 

It  is  observed  by  William  Penn,  in  his  "  Account  of  the  Rise  and  Progress 
of  the  People  called  Quakers,"  that  they  were  careful  in  their  discipline  to 
"  avoid  two  extremes,  upon  which  many  split,  viz :  persecution  and  liber- 
tinism." They  denied  the  authority  or  necessity  of  a  "coercive  power  to 
whip  people  into  the  temple." 

"  On  the  other  hand,  they  equally  dislike  an  independency  in  society ;  an 
unaccountableness  in  practice  and  conversation  to  the  terms  of  their  own 
communion,  and  to  those  that  are  the  members  of  it.  They  distinguish 
between  imposing  any  practice  that  immediately  regards  faith  or  worship, 
(which  is  never  to  be  done,  nor  suffered,  nor  submitted  unto,)  and  requiring 
Christian  compliance  with  those  methods  that  only  respect  church-business 
in  its  more  civil  part  and  concern,  and  that  regard  the  discreet  and  orderly 
maintenance  of  the  character  of  .the  society,  as  a  sober  aad  religious  com- 
munity. In  short,  what  is  for  the  promotion  of  holiness  and  charity,  that 
men  may  practise  what  they  profess,  live  up  to  their  own  principles,  and 
not  be  at  liberty  to  give  the  lie  to  their  profession  withoxit  rebuke.  They 
compel  none  to  them,  but  oblige  those  that  are  of  them  to  walk  suitably,  or 
they  are  denied  by  them  ;  that  is  all  the  mark  they  set  upon  them,  and  the 
power  they  exercise,  or  judge  a  Christian  society  can  exercise  upon  those 
that  are  the  members  of  it."  J 

The  rules  and  regulations  of  the  discipline  are  not  like  the  laws  of 
the  Medes  and  Persians  —  unchangeable.  Any  Yearly  Meeting  may 

*  Journal,  II.  88.  f  Gougb,  II.  165. 

J  Preface  to  Journal  of  George  Fox,  XXXII. 


ON   CHRISTIAN    DISCIPLINE.  499 

alter  or  repeal  them,  so  far  as  relates  to  its  own  members.  And  more- 
over, any  member  is  at  liberty,  in  the  Monthly  Meeting  to  which  he  or 
she  belongs,  to  propose  a  change  of  discipline,  or  any  other  measure 
pertaining  to  the  concerns  of  the  society.  If  the  proposition  meet  the 
concurrence  of  that  meeting,  it  may  go  forward  to  the  Quarterly  Meet- 
ing, and  if  there  approved,  it  may  be  taken  to  the  Yearly  Meeting, 
where,  if  adopted,  it  becomes  a  rule  of  the  society. 

It  is  obvious,  however,  that  no  change  of  discipline  should  be  made 
without  due  deliberation,  and  a  persuasion  in  the  minds  of  the  members 
that  it  is  consistent  with  the  Divine  will. 

To  show  the  estimate  which  some,  who  were  not  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  have  placed  upon  the  labours  of  George  Fox  in 
establishing  the  discipline,  the  following  passages  are  quoted : 

"  There  is  no  character  in  Christian  history  since  the  days  of  its  divine 
Founder,"  says  the  "Annual  Review  and  History  of  Literature,"  "more  free 
from  spot  or  stain  than  that  of  George  Fox.  It  is  no  less  absurd  to  pro- 
nounce him  insane  from  his  writings,  than  it  would  be  to  pronounce  Crom- 
well a  fool  from  his  speeches. 

"By  their  actions  they  are  to  be  judged.  No  form  of  civil  polity  so  un- 
exceptionable in  its  means  and  end,  so  beautiful  in  all  its  parts,  so  perfect 
as  a  whole,  has  ever  been  imagined  in  philosophical  romance  or  proposed 
in  theory,  as  this  man  conceived,  established,  and  reduced  to  practice."  * 

Clarkson,  in  his  "Portraiture  of  Quakerism,"  says :"  The  discipline  of 
Friends  is  the  grand  foundation-stone  upon  which  their  moral  education  is 
supported.  It  is  the  grand  partition-wall  between  them  and  vice.  If  this 
part  of  the  building  were  ever  allowed  to  be  undermined,  the  building 
would  fall  to  pieces  ;  and  though  the  Quakers  might  still  be  known  by  their 
apparel  and  language,  they  would  no  longer  be  so  remarkable  as  they  are 
now  generally  confessed  to  be,  for  their  moral  character."  f 

*  Friends'  Library,  I.  123.  t  Vol.  I.  p.  183. 


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WM.  COGSWELL,  D.  D.,     "  «    Education  Society. 

JOHN  CODMAN,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  Congregational  Church,  Dorchester. 
Rev.  HUBBARD  WINSLOW,  «•  "        Bowdoin  street,  D«che«t«r. 

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CYRUS  MASON,  D.  D.,  "  "  •  • 

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Amherst  College. 

Williamstown  College. 

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New  York  City  University. 

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Jefferson  College,  Penn. 
LEONARD  WOODS,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Theology,  Andover  Seminary. 
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BIBLIOTHECA  BIBLICA, 

or  list  of  the  best  works  on  the  Bible,  of  all  kinds,  arranged  under  their  appropriate  heads. 

4.  A  complete  Index  of  the  Matter  contained  in  the  Bible  Text. 
5.  A  Symbolical  Dictionary. 

A  very  comprehensive  and  valuable  Dictionary  of  Scripture  Symbols,  (occupying  about  fifty-six 
closely  printed  pages,)  by  Thomas  Wemyss,  (author  of  "Biblical  Gleanings,"  &c.)  Comprising 
Daubuz,  Lancaster,  Hutcheson,  &c. 

6.  The  Work  contains  several  other  Articles, 

Indexes,  Tables,  &c.  &c.,  and  is, 

7.  Illustrated  by  a  large  Plan  of  Jerusalem, 

identifying,  as  far  as  tradition,  &c.,  go,  the  original  sites,  drawn  on  the  spot  by  F.  Catherwood,  of 
London,  architect.  Also,  two  steel  engravings  of  portraits  of  seven  foreign  and  eight  American 
theological  writers,  and  numerous  wood  engravings. 

The  whole  forms  a  desirable  and  necessary  fund  of  instruction  for  the  use  not  only  of  clergymen 
and  Sabbath-school  teachers,  but  also  for  families.  When  the  great  amount  of  matter  it  must 
contain  is  considered,  it  will  be  deemed  exceedingly  cheap. 

"  I  have  examined  '  The  Companion  to  the  Bible,'  and  have  been  surprised  to  find  so  mnrh  inform- 
ation introduced  into  a  volume  of  so  moderate  a  size.  It  contains  a  library  of  sacred  knowledge 
and  criticism.  It  will  be  useful  to  ministers  who  own  large  libraries,  and  cannot  fail  to  be  au 
invaluable  help  to  every  reader  of  the  Bible."  HENRY  MORRIS, 

Pastor  of  Congregational  Church,  Vermont. 

The  above  work  can  be  had  in  several  styles  of  binding.    Price  varying 
from  $1  75  to  $5  00. 


LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES, 

In  one  super-royal  volume. 

DERIVED  PRINCIPALLY  FROM  THE  MANNERS,  CUSTOMS,  ANTIQUITIES,  TRADITIONS, 

AND  FORMS  OF  SPEECH,  RITES,  CLIMATE,  WORKS  OF  ART,  AND 

LITERATURE  OF  THE  EASTERN  NATIONS  : 

EMBODYING-   ALL   THAT    IS    VALUABLE    IN   THE    WORKS    OF 

ROBERTS,  HARMER,  BURDER,  PAXTON,  CHANDLER, 

And  the  most  celebrated  oriental  travellers.    Embracing  also  the  subject  of  the  Fulfilment  of 

Prophecy,  as  exhibited  by  Keith  and  others;  with  descriptions  of  the  present  state 

of  countries  and  places  mentioned  in  the  Sacred  Writings. 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  NUMEROUS  LANDSCAPE  ENGRAVINGS, 

FKOM     SKETCHES    TAKEN    ON    THE    SPOT. 

Edited  by  Rev.  GEORGE  BUSH, 

Professor  of  Hebrew  and  Oriental  Literature  in  the  New  York  City  University. 

The  importance  of  this  work  must  be  obvious,  and,  being  altogether  illustrative,  without  reference 

to  doctrines,  or  other  points  in  which  Christians  differ,  it  is  hoped  it  will  meet  with  favour  from  all 

who  love  the  sacred  volume,  and  that  it  will  be  sufficiently  interesting  and  attractive  to  recommend 

itself,  not  only  to  professed  Christians  of  all  denominations,  but  also  to  the  general  reader.    The 

arrangement  of  the  texts  illustrated  with  the  notes,  in  the  order  of  the  chapters  and  verses  of  the 

authorized  version  of  the  Bible,  will  render  it  convenient  for  reference  to  particular  passages  ; 

while  the  copious  Index  at  the  end  will  at  once  enable  the  reader  to  turn  to  every  subject  discussed 

in  the  volume. 

This  volume  is  not  designed  to  take  the  place  of  Commentaries,  but  is  a  distinct  department  of  biblical 

instruction,  and  may  be  used  as  a  companion  to  the  Comprehensive  or  any  other  Commentary,  or  the 

Holy  Bible. 

THE  ENGRAVINGS 

in  this  volume,  it  is  believed,  will  form  no  small  part  of  its  attractions.    No  pains  have  been  spared 

to  procure  such  as  should  embellish  the  work,  and,  at  the  same  time,  illustrate  the  text.    Objec- 

tions that  have  been  made  to  the  pictures  commonly  introduced  into  the  Bible,  as  being  mere  crea- 

tions of  fancy  and  the  imagination,  often  unlike  nature,  and  frequently  conveying  false  impressions, 

cannot  be  urged  against  the  pictorial  illustrations  of  this  volume.    Here  the  fine  arts  are  made 

subservient  to  utility,  the  landscape  views  being,  without  an  exception,  matter-of-fact  views  ofplices 

mentioned  in  Scripture,  as  they  appear  at  the  present  day  ;  thus  in  many  instances  exhibiting,  in  the 

most  forcible  manner,  to  the  eye,  the  strict  and  literal  fulfilment  of  the  remarkable  prophecies  ;  "  the 

present  ruined  and  desolate  condition  of  the  cities  of  Babylon,  Nineveh,  Selah,  <Szc.,  and  the  coun- 

tries of  Edom  and  Egypt,  are  astonishing  examples,  and  so  completely  exemplify,  in  the  most 

minute  particulars,  every  thing  which  was  foretold  of  them  in  the  height  of  their  prosperity,  that 

no  better  description  can  now  be  given  of  them  than  a  simple  quotation  from  a  chapter  and  verse 

of  the  Bible  written  nearly  two  or  three  thousand  years  ago."    The  publishers  are  enabled  to  select 

from  several  collections  lately  published  in  London,  the  proprietor  of  one  of  which  says  that  "  seve- 

ral distinguished  travellers  have  afforded  him  the  use  of  nearly  Three  Hundred  Original  Sketches" 

of  Scripture  places,  made  upon  the  spot.    "The  land  of  Palestine,  it  is  well  known,  abounds  in 

scenes  of  the  most  picturesque  beauty.    Syria  comprehends  the  snowy  heights  of  Lebanon,  and  the 

majestic  ruins  of  Tadmor  and  Baalbec." 

The  above  work  can  be  had  in  various  styles  of  binding. 

Price  from  $1  50  to  $5  00. 

THE  ILLUSTRATED  CONCORDANCE, 

In  one  volume,  royal  8vo. 

A  new,  full,  and  complete  Concordance  ;  illustrated  with  monumental,  traditional,  and  oriental 

engravings,  founded  on  Butterworth's,  with  Cruden's  definitions  ;  forming,  it  is  believed,  on  many 

accounts,  a  more  valuable  work  than  either  Butterworth,  Cruden,  or  any  other  similar  IK  Jk  in  the 

language. 

The  value  of  a  Concordance  is  now  generally  understood  ;  and  those  who  have  used  one,  con- 

sider it  indispensable  in  connection  with  the  Bible.    Some  of  the  many  advantages  the  Illustrated 

Concordance  has  over  all  the  others,  are,  that  it  contains  near  two  hundred  appropriate  engravings  : 

it  is  printed  on  fine  white  paper,  with  beautiful  large  type. 

Price  One  Dollar. 

4                                                          i 

LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 
LIPPINCOTT'S  EDITION  OF 

BAGSTER'S  COMPREHENSIVE  BIBLE. 

In  order  to  develops  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  Comprehensive  Bible,  it  will  only  be  necessary 
to  embrace  its  more  prominent  features. 

1st.  The  SACRED  TEXT  is  that  of  the  Authorized  Version,  and  is  printed  from  the  edition  cor- 
rected and  improved  by  Dr.  Blaney,  which,  from  its  accuracy,  is  considered  the  standard  edition. 

2d.  The  VARIOUS  READINGS  are  faithfully  printed  from  the  edition  of  Dr.  Blaney,  inclusive 
of  the  translation  of  the  proper  names,  without  t!ie  addition  or  diminution  of  one. 

3d.  In  the  CHRONOLOGY,  great  care  has  been  taken  to  fix  the  date  of  the  particular  transac- 
tions, which  has  seldom  been  done  with  any  degree  of  exactness  in  any  former  edition  of  the  Bible. 

4th.  The  NOTES  are  exclusively  philological  and  explanatory,  and  are  not  tinctured  with  senti- 
ments of  auy  sect  or  party.  They  are  selected  from  the  most  eminent  Biblical  critics  and  com- 
mentators. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  edition  of  the  Holy  Bible  will  be  found  to  contain  the  essence  of  Biblical 
research  and  criticism,  that  lies  dispersed  through  an  immense  number  of  volumes. 

Such  «  the  nature  and  design  of  this  edition  of  the  Sacred  Volume,  which,  from  the  various 
objects  it  embraces,  the  freedom  of  its  pages  from  all  sectarian  peculiarities,  and  the  beauty,  plain- 
ness, and  correctness  of  the  typography,  that,  it  cannot  fail  of  proving  acceptable  and  useful  to 
Christians  of  every  denomination. 

In  addition  to  the  usual  references  to  parallel  passages,  which  are  quite  full  and  numerous,  the 
student  has  all  the  marginal  readings,  together  with  a  fich  selection  of  Philological,  Critical,  Histo- 
rical, Geographical,  and  other  valuable  notes  and  remarks,  which  explain  and  illustrate  the  sacred 
text.  Besides  the  general  introduction,  containing  valuable  essays  on  the  genuineness,  authenticity, 
and  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  other  topics  of  interest,  there  are  introductory  and  con- 
cluding remarks  to  each  book — a  table  of  the  contents  of  the  Bible,  by  which  the  different  portions 
are  so  arranged  as  to  read  in  an  historical  order. 

Arranged  at  the  top  of  each  page  is  the  period  in  which  the  prominent  events  of  sacred  history 
took  place.  The  calculations  are  made  for  the-year  of  the  world  before  and  after  Christ,  Julian 
Period,  the  year  of  the  Olympiad,  the  year  of  the  building  of  Rome,  ami  other  notations  of  time. 
At  the  close  is  inserted  a  Chronological  Index  of  the  Bible,  according  to  the  computation  of  Arch- 
bishop Ussher.  Also,  a  full  and  valuable  index  of  the  subjects  contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, with  a  careful  analysis  and  arrangement  of  texts  under  their  appropriate  subjects. 

Mr.  Greenfield,  the  editor  of  this  work,  and  for  some  time  previous  to  his  death  the  superintend- 
ent of  the  editorial  department  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  was  a  most  extraordinary 
man.  In  editing  the  Comprehensive  Bible,  his  varied  and  extensive  learning  was  called  into  suc- 
cessful exercise,  and  appears  in  happy  combination  with  sincere  piety  and  a  sound  judgment.  The 
Editor  of  the  Christian  Observer,  alluding  to  this  work,  in  an  obituary  notice  of  its  author,  speaks 
of  it  as  a  work  of  "prodigious  labour  and  research,  at  once  exhibiting  his  varied  talents  and  pro- 
found erudition." 


LIPPINCOTT'S  EDITION  OF 

THE  OXFORD  QUARTO  BIBLE, 

The  Publishers  have  spared  neither  care  nor  expense  in  their  edition  of  the  Bible ;  it  is  printed 
on  the  finest  white  vellum  paper,  with  large  and  beautiful  type,  and  bound  in  the  most  substantial 
and  splendid  manner,  in  the  following  styles :  Velvet,  with  richly  gilt  ornaments ;  Turkey  super 
extra,  with  gilt  clasps ;  and  in  numerous  others,  to  suit  the  taste  of  the  most  fastidious. 

OPINIONS   OP  THE   PRESS. 

"In  our  opinion,  the  Christian  public  generally  will  feel  under  great  obligations  to  the  publishers 
of  this  work  for  the  beautiful  taste,  arrangement,  and  delicate  neatness  with  which  they  have  got 
it  out.  The  intrinsic  merit  of  the  Bible  recommends  itself;  it  needs  no  tinsel  ornament  to  adorn 
its  sacred  pages.  In  this  edition  every  superfluous  ornament  has  been  avoided,  and  we  have  pre- 
sented us  a  perfectly  chaste  specimen  of  the  Bible,  without  note  or  comment.  It  appears  to  be  just 
what  is  needed  in  every  family — '  the  unsophisticated  word  of  God.' 

"  The  size  is  quarto,  printed  with  beautiful  type,  on  white,  sized  vellum  paper,  of  the  finest  texture 
and  most  beautiful  surface.  Tlie  publishers  seem  to  have  been  solicitous  to  make  a  perfectly 
unique  book,  and  they  have  accomplished  the  object  very  successfully.  We  trust  that  a  liberal 
community  will  afford  them  ample  remuneration  for  all  the  expense  and  outlay  they  have  necessa- 
rily incurred  in  its  publication.  It  is  a  standard  Bible. 

"The  publishers  are  Messrs.  Ijppincott,  Grambo  &  Co.,  No.  14  North  Fourth  street,  Philadel- 
phia." —  Baptist  Record. 

"A  beautiful  quarto  edition  of  the  Bible,  by  L.,  G.  &  Co.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  type  in  clear- 
,iess  and  beaut v:  the  paper  is  of  the  finest  texture,  and  the  whole  execution  is  exceedinsly  neat. 
No  illustrations  or  ornamental  type  are  used.  Those  who  prefer  a  Bible  executed  in  perfect  sim- 
plicity, yet  elegance  of  style,  without  adornment,  will  probably  never  find  one  more  to  their  taste." 
—  M.  Magazine. 


LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 
LIPPINCOTT'S  EDITIONS  OF 

THE   HOLY   BIBLE. 

SIX  DIFFERENT  SIZES, 

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splendid  and  substantial  styles.  Warranted  to  be  correct,  and  equal  to  the  best  English  editions,  at 
much  less  price.  To  be  had  with  or  without  plates;  the  publishers  having  supplied  themselves  with 
over  fifty  steel  engravings,  by  the  first  artists. 

Baxter's  Comprehensive  Bible, 

Royal  quarto,  containing  the  various  readings  and  marginal  notes ;  disquisitions  on  the  genuineness, 
authenticity,  and  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  introductory  and  concluding  remarks  to  each 
book ;  philological  and  explanatory  notes  ;  table  of  contents,  arranged  in  historical  order;  a  chro- 
nological index,  and  various  other  matter ;  forming  a  suitable  book  for  the  study  of  clergymen, 
Sabbath-school  teachers,  and  students. 

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minations, $15  00  to  $25  00. 

The  Oxford  Quarto  Bible, 

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ENCYCLOP/EDIA  OF  RELIGIOUS  KNOWLEDGE; 

OR,  DICTIONARY  OF  THE  BIBLE,  THEOLOGY,  RELIGIOUS  BIOGRAPHY,  ALL  RELIGIONS, 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY,  AND  MISSIONS. 

Designed  as  a  complete  Book  of  Reference  on  all  Religious  Subjects,  and  Companion  to  the  Bible; 
forming  a  cheap  and  compact  Library  of  Religious  Knowledge.  Edited  by  Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown. 
Illustrated  by  wood-cuts,  maps,  and  engravings  on  copper  and  steel.  In  one  volume,  royal  8vo. 
Price,  84  00. 

__ 


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18mo,  in  large  type,  plain,  81  75  to  82  50.  — In  imitation,  81  00  to  81  75.  — In  Turkey,  super 
extra,  81  75  to  83  00.  Also,  with  clasps,  velvet,  &c.  <kc. 


The  Errors  of  Modern  InMelity  Illustrated  and  Refuted. 

BY  S.  I«.  SCHMUCKER,  A.M. 
In  one  volume,  12mo. ;  cloth.     Just  published. 


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€\)t  CUrgq  of  Simnini: 

CONSISTING    OF 

i 

ANECDOTES  ILLUSTRATIVE  OF  THE  CHARACTER  OF  MINISTERS  OF  RELI- 

GION IN  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

BY   JOSEPH   BELCHER,   D.D., 

Editor  of  "The  Complete  Works  of  Andrew  Fuller,"  "Robert  Hall,"  &e. 

"This  very  interestin?  and  instructive  collection  of  pleasing  and  solemn  remembrances  of  many 

j 

pious  men,  illustrates  the  character  of  the  day  in  which  they  lived,  and  defines  the  men  more 

clearly  than  very  elaborate  essays."  —  Baltimore  American. 

"We  regard  the  collection  as  highly  interesting,  and  judiciously  made."—  Presbyterian. 

JOSEPHUS'S  (FLAVIUS)  WORKS, 

j 

FAMILY    EDITION. 

BY  THE  LATE  WILLIAM  WHISTON,  A.  M. 

FROM  THE  LAST  LONDON  EDITION,  COMPLETE. 

One  volume,  beautifully  illustrated  with  Steel  Plates,  and  the  onfy  readable  edition 

published  in  this  country. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  every  family  in  our  country  has  a  copy  of  the  Holy  Bible  ;  and  as  the  pre- 

tumption  is  that  the  greater  portion  often  consult  its  pages,  we  taka  the  liberty  of  saying  to  all  those 

that  do,  that  the  perusal  of  the  writings  of  Josephus  will  be  found  very  interesting  and  instructive. 

All  those  who  wish  to  possess  a  beautiful  and  correct  copy  of  this  valuable  work,  would  do  well 

to  purchase  this  edition.    It  is  for  sale  at  all  the  principal  bookstores  in  the  United  States,  and  by 

country  merchants  generally  in  the  Southern  and  Western  States.              i 

Also,  the  above  work  in  two  volumes. 

BURDENS  VILLAGE  SERMONS; 

Or,  101  Plain  and  Short  Discourses  on  the  Principal  Doctrines  of  the  Gospel. 

INTENDED  FOR  THE  USE  OF  FAMILIES,  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS,  OR  COMPANIES  ASSEM- 

BLED FOR  RELIGIOUS  INSTRUCTION  IN  COUNTRY  VILLAGES. 

BY   GEORGE   BURDER. 

To  which  is  added  to  each  Sermon,  a  Short  Prayer,  with  some  General  Prayers  for  Families, 

Schools,  &c.,  at  the  end  of  the  work. 

COMPLETE    I  If    ONE    VOLUME,    OCTAVO. 

These  sermons,  which  are  characterized  by  a  beautiful  simplicity,  the  entire  absence  of  contro- 

; 

versy,  and  a  true  evangelical  spirit,  have  gone  through  many  and  large  editions,  and  been  translated 

into  several  of  the  continental  languages.    "  They  have  also  been  the  honoured  means  not  only  of 

converting  many  individuals,  but  also  of  introducing  the  Gospel  into  districts,  and  even  into  parish 

f 

churches,  where  before  it  was  comparatively  unknown." 

"  This  work  fully  deserves  the  immortality  it  has  attained." 

This  is  a  fine  library  edition  of  this  invaluable  work  ;  and  when  we  say  that  it  should  be  found  in 

the  possession  of  every  family,  we  only  reiterate  the  sentiments  and  sincere  wishes  of  all  who  take 

a  deep  interest  in  the  eternal  welfare  of  mankind. 

f 

FAMILY   PRAYERS   AND   HYMNS, 

, 

ADAPTED  TO  FAMILY  WORSHIP, 

AND 

TABLES  FOR  THE  REGULAR  READING  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES, 

By  Rev.  S.  C.  WINCHESTER,  A.  M., 

Late  Pastor  of  the  Sixth  Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia;   and  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 

Natchez,  Miss. 

One  volume,    1  2  m  o  . 

1 

8 

!  —  

L 

L 

LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

SPLENDID  LIBRARY  EDITIONS. 

ILLUSTRATED  STANDARD  POETS. 

ELEGANTLY   PRINTED,  ON   FINE   PAPER,  AND   UNIFORM   IN   SIZE  AND 
STYLE. 

The  following  Editions  of  Standard  British  Poets  are  illustrated  with  numerous  Steel 
Engravings,  and  may  be  had  in  all  varieties  of  binding. 

BYRON'S  WORKS. 

COMPLETE  IN   ONE  VOLUME,   OCTAVO. 

INCLUDING  ALL  HIS  SUPPRESSED  AND  ATTRIBUTED  POEMS  ;  WITH  SIX  BEAUTIFUL 
ENGRAVINGS. 
This  edition  has  been  carefully  compared  with  the  recent  London  edition  of  Mr.  Murray,  and 
made  complete  by  the  addition  of  more  than  fifty  pages  of  poems  heretofore  unpublished  in  Eng- 
land.   Among  these  there  are  a  number  that  have  never  appeared  in  any  American  edition  ;  and 
the  publishers  believe  they  are  warranted  in  saying  that  this  is  the  most  complete  edition  of  Lord 
Byron's  Poetical  Works  ever  published  in  the  United  States. 

<%  ^orftml  rffiforb  of  3&r&  Innim 

Complete  in  one  volume,  octavo  ;  with  seven  beautiful  Engravings. 
This  is  a  new  and  complete  editinn,  with  a  splendid  engraved  likeness  of  Mrs.  Hemans,  on  steel, 
and  contains  all  the  Poems  in  the  last  London  and  American  editions.    With  a  Critical  Preface  by 
Mr.  Thatcher,  of  Boston. 
"As  no  work  in  the  English  language  can  be  commended  with  more  confidence,  it  will  argue  bad 
taste  in  n  female  in  this  country  to  be  without  a  complete  edition  of  the  writings  of  one  who  was 
an  honour  to  her  sex  and  to  humanity,  and  whose  productions,  from  first  to  last,  contain  no  syllable 
calculated  to  call  a  blush  to  the  cheek  of  modesty  and  virtue.  There  is,  moreover,  in  Mrs.  Hemans's 
poetry,  a  moral  purity  and  a  religious  feeling  which  commend  it,  in  an  especial  manner,  to  the  dis- 
criminating reader.    No  parent  or  guardian  will  be  under  the  necessity  of  imposing  restrictions 
with  regard  to  the  free  perusal  of  every  production  emanating  from  this  gifted  woman.    There 
breathes  throughout  the  whole  a  most  eminent  exemption  from  impropriety  of  thought  or  diction  ; 
and  there  is  at  times  a  pensiveness  of  tone,  a  winning  sadness  in  her  more  serious  compositions, 
which  tells  of  a  soul  which  has  been  lifted  from  the  contemplation  of  terrestrial  things,  to  divine 
communings  with  beings  of  a  purer  world." 

MILTON,  YOUNG,  GRAY,  BEATTIE,  AND  COLLINS'S 
POETICAL  WORKS, 

COMPLETE    IN    ONE    VOLUME,  OCTAVO. 

WITH  SIX  BEAUTIFUL  ENGRAVINGS. 

(tatpr  mul  ^jjnmsnii'B  ^xm  nift  ^nrtiral  SHurlts. 

COMPLETE   IN   ONE   VOLUME,  OCTAVO. 
Including  two  hundred  and  fifty  Letters,  and  sundry  Poems  of  Cowper,  never  before  published  in 
tliis  country  ;  and  of  Thomson  a  new  and  interesting  Memoir,  and  upwards  of  twenty 
new  Poems,  for  the  first  time  printed  from  his  own  Manuscripts,  taken  from 
a  late  Edition  of  the  Aldine  Poets,  now  publishing  in  London. 

WITH   SEVEN  BEAUTIFUL  ENGRAVINGS. 
The  distinguished  Professor  Silliman,  speaking  of  this  edition,  observes  :  "  I  am  as  much  gratified 
oy  the  elegance  and  fine  taste  of  your  edition,  as  by  the  noble  tribute  of  genius  and  moral  excel- 
lence which  these  delightful  authors  have  left  for  all  future  generations  ;  and  Cowper,  especially, 
is  not  less  conspicuous  as  a  true  Christian,  moralist  and  teacher,  than  as  a  pr>et  of  great  power  and 
exquisite  taste." 

9                                                      j 

LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

i 

THE  POETICAL  WORKS  OF  ROGERS,  CAMPBELL,  .MONTGOMERY, 

LAMB,  AND  KIRKE  WHITE, 

COMPLETE   IN   ONE   VOLUME,    OCTAVO. 

WITH    SIX   BEAUTIFUL    ENGRAVINGS. 

The  beauty,  correctness,  and  convenience  of  this  favourite  edition  of  these  standard  authors  are 

to  well  known,  that  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  a  word  in  its  favour.    It  is  only  necessary  to  say, 

that  the  publishers  have  now  issued  an  illustrated  edition,  which  greatly  enhances  its  former  value. 

The  engravings  are  excellent  and  well  selected.    It  is  the  best  library  edition  extant 

CRABBE,  HEBER,  AND  POLLOK'S  POETICAL  WORKS. 

COMPLETE   IX   ONE   VOLUME,  OCTAVO. 

WITH   SIX  BEAUTIFUL   ENGRAVINGS. 

A  writer  in  the  Boston  Traveller  holds  the  following  language  with  reference  to  these  valuable 

editions  :  — 

"  Mr.  Editor  :  —  I  wish,  without  any  idea  of  puffing,  to  say  a  word  or  two  upon  the  '  Library  of 

English  Poets'  that  is  now  published  at  Philadelphia,  by  Lippincott,  Grambo  <k  Co.    It  is  certainly, 

taking  into  consideration  the  elegant  manner  in  which  it  is  printed,  and  the  reasonable  price  at 

which  it  is  afforded  to  purchasers,  the  best  edition  of  the  modern  British  Poets  that  has  ever  been 

published  in  this  country.    Each  volume  is  an  octavo  of  about  500  pages,  double  columns,  stereo- 

typed, and  accompanied  with  fine  engravings  and  biographical  sketches  ;  and  most  of  them  are 

reprinted  from  Galignani's  French  edition.    As  to  its  value,  we  need  only  mention  that  it  contains 

the  entire  works  of  Montgomery,  Gray,  Beattie,  Collins,  Byron,  Cowper,  Thomson,  Milton,  Young, 

Rogers,  Campbell,  Lamb,  Hemans,  Heber,  Kirke  White,  Crabbe,  the  Miscellaneous  Works  of  Gold 

smith,  and  other  masters  of  the  lyre.    The  publishers  are  doing  a  great  service  by  their  publication. 

and  their  volumes  are  almost  in  as  great  demand  as  the  fashionable  novels  of  the  day  ;  and  they 

deserve  to  be  so  :  for  they  are  certainly  printed  in  a  style  superior  to  that  in  wlu'ch  we  have  before 

hail  the  works  of  the  English  Poets." 

No  library  can  be  considered  complete  without  a  copy  of  the  above  beautiful  and  cheap  editions 

of  the  English  Poets  ;  and  persons  ordering  all  or  any  of  them,  will  please  say  Lippincott,  Grambo 

<t  Co.'s  illustrated  editions. 

A    COMPLETE 

liritnnam  of  Snrftml  dhmrfattaw: 
>     i 

COMPRISING  THE  MOST  EXCELLENT  AND  APPROPRIATE  PASSAGES  IN 

THE  OLD  BRITISH  POETS;  WITH  CHOICE  AND  COPIOUS  SELEC- 

TIONS FROM  THE  BEST  MODERN  BRITISH  AND 

AMERICAN  POETS. 

EDITED   BY   SARAH   JOSEPHA  HALE. 

As  nightingales  do  upon  glow-worms  feed, 

So  poets  live  upon  the  living  light 

Of  Nature  and  of  Beauty. 

Jiailey'i  Festui. 

Beautifully  illustrated  with  Engravings.    In  one  super-royal  octavo  volume,  in  various 

•     bindings. 

The  publishers  extract,  from  the  many  highly  complimentary  notices  of  the  above  valuable  and 

beautiful  work,  the  following  : 

"  We  have  at  last  a  volume  of  Poetical  Quotations  worthy  of  the  name.    It  contains  nonrly  six 

hundred  octavo  pages,  carefully  and  tastefully  selected  from  all  the  home  and  foreign  authors  of 

celebrity.    It  is  invaluable  to  a  writer,  while  to  the  ordinary  reader  it  presents  every  subject  at  a 

glance."  —  Godey's  Lady's  Book. 

"  The  plan  or  idea  of  Mrs.  Kale's  work  is  felicitous.    It  is  one  for  which  her  fine  taste,  her  orderly 

habits  of  mind,  and  her  'long  occupation  with  literature,  has  given  her  peculiar  facilities;  and  tho- 

roughly has  she  accomplished  her  task  in  the  work  before  us."  —  Sartam's  Magazine. 

"It  is  a  choice  collection  of  poetical  extracts  from  everv  English  and  American  author  worth 

perusing,  from  the  days  of  Chaucer  to  the  present  time."  —  'Washington  Union. 

"  There  is  nothing  negative  about  this  work  ;  it  is  positively  good."  —  Evening  Bulletin. 

10 

LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'fi  PUBLICATIONS. 


THE  DIAMOND  EDITION  DF  BYRON. 
THE  POETICAL  WORKS  OF  LOUD  BYRON, 

WITH   A   SKETCH    OF    HIS   LIFE. 

COMPLETE    IN    ONE    NEAT    DUODECIMO    VOLUME,  WITH    STEEL    PLATES. 

The  type  of  this  edition  is  so  perfect,  and  it  is  printed  with  so  much  care,  on  fine  white  paper, 
that  it  can  he  read  with  as  much  ease  as  most  of  the  larger  editions.  This  work  is  to  be  had  in 
plain  and  superb  binding,  making  a  beautiful  volume  for  a  gift. 

.  "  The  Poetical  Works  of  Lord  Byron,  complete  in  one  volume  ;  published  by  L.,  G.  tt  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. We  hazard  nothing  in  saying  that,  take  it  altogether,  tms  is  the  most  elegant  work  ever 
issued  from  the  American  press. 

" '  In  a  single  volume,  not  larger  than  an  ordinary  duodecimo,  the  publishers  have  embraced  the 
whole  of  Lord  Byron's  Poems,  usually  printed  in  ten  or  twelve  volumes;  and,  what  is  more  remark- 
able, have  done  it  with  a  type  so  clear  and  distinct,  that,  notwithstanding  its  necessarily  small  size, 
it  may  be  read  with  the  utmost  facility,  even  by  failing  eyes.  The  book  is  stereotyped  ;  and  never 
have  we  seen  a  finer  specimen  of  that  art.  Everything  about  it  is  perfect  —  the  paper,  the  print- 
ing, the  binding,  all  correspond  with  each  other;  and  it  is  embellished  with  two  lint  engravings, 
well  worthy  the  companionship  in  which  they  are  placed. 

"  'This  will  make  a  beautiful  Christmas  present.' 

"  We  extract  the  above  from  Godey's  Lhdy's  Book.  The  notice  itself,  we  are  given  to  understand, 
is  written  by  .Mrs.  Hale. 

"  We  have  to  add  our  commendation  in  favour  of  this  beautiful  volume,  a  copy  of  which  has 
been  sent  us  by  the  publishers.  The  admirers  of  the  noble  bard  will  feel  obliged  to  the  enterprise 
which  has  prompted  the  publishers  to  dare  a  competition  with  the  numerous  editions  of  his  works 
already  in  circulation ;  and  we  shall  be  surprised  if  this  convenient  travelling  edition  dues  not  in  a 
great  decree  supersede  the  use  of  the  large  octavo  works,  which  have  little  advantage  in  size  and 
openness  of  type,  and  are  much  inferior  in  the  qualities  of  portability  and  lightness."  —  Intelligencer. 


THE  DIAMOND   EDITION  OF  MOORE, 

(CORRESPONDING  WITII  BYRON.) 

THE  POETICAL  WORKS  OF  THOMAS  MOORE, 

COLLECTED  BY  HIMSELF. 

COMPLETE    IN  ONE  VOLUME. 

This  work  is  published  uniform  with  Byron,  from  the  last  London  edition,  and  is  the  most  com- 
plete printed  in  the  country. 

THE  DIAMOND   EDITION  OF  SHAKSPEARE, 

(COMPLETE  IN  ONE  VOLUME,) 
INCLUDING  A  SKETCH  OF  I-IIS  LIFE. 

UNIFORM  WITH  BYRON  AND  MOORE. 
THE   ABOVE    WORKS    CAN   BE    HAD   IN    SEVERAL   VARIETIES    OF    BINDING. 

GOLDSMITH'S  ANIMATED  NATURE. 

IN    TWO    VOLUMES,    OCTAVO. 
BEAUTIFULLY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  385  PLATES. 

CONTAINING  A  HISTORY  OF  THE  EARTH,  ANIMALS,  BIRDS,  AND  FISHES;  FORMING 
THE  MOST  COMPLETE  NATURAL  HISTORY  EVER  PUBLISHED. 

This  is  a  work  that  should  be  in  the  library  of  e^ery  family,  having  been  written  by  one  of  the 
most  talented  authors  in  the  English  language. 

"Goldsmith  can  never  be  made  obsolete  while  delicate  genius,  exquisite  feeling, fine  invention, 
the  most  narmonious  metre,  and  the  happiest  diction,  are  at  all  valued." 

BIGLAND'S  NATURAL  HISTORY 

Of  Animals,  Birds,  Fishes,  Reptiles,  and  Insects.    Illustrated  with  numerous  ami  beautiful  Enprav- 

ings.    By  JOHN  BIGLAND,  author  of  a  "  View  of  the  World,"  "  Letters  on 

Universal  History,"  &c.    Complete  in  1  vol.,  12mo. 


LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

THE  POWER  ANl)  PROGRESS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


THE  UNITEP  STATES;  Its  Power  and  Progress. 

BY  GtriLLAUME    TEIiL  POUSSIN, 

LATE  MINISTER  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  OF  FRANCE  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

FIRST  AMERICAN,  FROM  THE  THIRD  PARIS  EDITION. 

TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  FRENCH  BY  EDMOND  L.  DU  BARRY,  M.  D., 
SURGEON  U.  S.   NAVY. 

In  one  large  octavo  volume. 

SCHOOLCRAFT'S  GREAT  NATIONAL  WORK  ON  THE  INDIAN  TRIBES  OF 
THE  UNITED  STATES, 

WITH    BEAUTIFUL    AND    ACCURATE    COLOURED    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


HISTORICAL  AND  STATISTICAL  INFORMATION 

RESPECTING   THE 

HISTORY,  CONDITION  AND  PROSPECTS 

OP   THK 

Inbtnn  Crib#  nf  tjre  ICntUfc  $taUs. 

COLLECTED  AND  PREPARED  UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF  THE  BUREAU  OF  INDIAN 
AFFAIRS,  PER  ACT  OF  MARCH  3,  18V7. 

BV   HENRY  R.  SCHOOZiCHArT,  LI,.Z>. 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  S.  EASTMAN,  CA.PT.  U.  S.  A. 
PUBLISHED  BY  AUTHORITY  OF  CONGRESS. 

THE  AMERICAN  GARDENER'S  CALENDAR, 

ADAPTED  TO  THE  CLIMATE  AND  SEASONS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Containing  a  complete  account  of  all  the  work  necessary  to  be  done  in  the  Kitchen  Garden,  Fruit 
Garden.  Orchard,  Vineyard,  Nursery,  Pleasure-Ground,  Flower  Garden,  Green-house.  Hot-house, 
and  Forcing  Frames,  for  every  month  in  the  year;  with  ample  Practical  Directions  for  performing 
the  same. 

Also,  general  as  well  as  minute  instructions  for  laying  out  or  erecting  each  and  every  of  the  above 
departments,  according  to  modern  taste  and  the  most  approved  pluns;  the  Ornamental  Planting  of 
Pleasure  Grounds,  in  the  ancient  and  modern  style;  the  cultivation  of  Thorn  Quicks,  and  utlier 
plants  suitable  for  Live  Hedges,  with  the  best  methods  of  making  them.  &c.  To  which  are  annexed 
catalogues  of  Kitchen  Garden  Plants  and  Herbs;  Aromatic,  Pot,  and  Sweet  Herlis ;  Medicinal 
Plants,  and  the  most  important  Grapes,  <fcc.,  used  in  rural  economy;  with  the  soil  best  adapted  to 
their  cultivation.  Together  with  a  copious  Index  to  the  body  of  the  work. 

BY   BERNARD   M'MAHON. 
Tenth  Edition,  greatly  improved.    In  one  volume,  octavo, 

THE  PORTFOLIO  OF  A  SOUTHERN  MEDICAL  STUDENT. 

BY  GEORGE  M.  WHARTON,  M.  D. 

WITH   NUMEROUS    ILLUSTRATIONS    BY   CROOME. 
One  volume,    12mo. 

12 


1 

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LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

THE  FARMER'S  AND  PLANTER'S  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

€jje/nrmjrr9  mui  pirate's  tojrlnpffMa  nf  Hural  Affairs. 

BY  CUTHBERT  W.  JOHNSON. 
ADAPTED  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES  BY  GOUVERNEUR  EMERSON, 

Illustrated  by  seventeen  beautiful  Engravings  of  Cattle,  Horses,  Sheep,  the  varieties  of  Wheat, 
Barley,  Oats,  Grasses,  the  Weeds  of  Agriculture.  &c.  ;  besides  numerous  Engrav- 
ings on  wood  of  the  most  important  implements  of  Agriculture,  <ko. 
This  standard  work  contains  the  latest  and  best  information  upon  all  subjects  connected  with 
farming,  and  appertaining  to  the  country  ;  treating  of  the  great  crops  of  grain,  hay,  cotton,  hemp, 
tobacco,  rice,  sugar,  &c.  &c.  ;  of  horses  and  mules  ;  of  cattle,  with  minute  particulars  relating  to 
cheese  and  butter-making;  of  fowls,  including  a  description  of  capon-making,  with  drawings  of  the 
instruments  employed  ;  of  bees,  and  the  Russian  and  other  systems  of  managing  bees  and  con- 
structing hives.    Long  articles  on  the  uses  and  preparation  of  bones,  lime,  guano,  and  all  sorts  of 
animal,  mineral,  and  vegetable  substances  employed  as  manures.  Descriptions  of  the  most  approved 
ploughs,  harrows,  threshers,  and  every  other  agricultural  machine  and  implement;  of  fruit  and 
shade  trees,  forest  trees,  and  shrubs  ;  of  weeds,  and  all  kinds  of  flies,  and  destructive  worms  and 
insects,  and  the  best  means  of  getting  rid  of  them  ;  together  with  a  thousand  other  matters  relating 
to  /ural  life)  about  which  information  is  so  constantly  desired  by  all  residents  of  the  country. 
IN   ONE   LAEGE    OCTAVO   VOLUME. 

MASON'S  FARRIER-FARMERS'  EDITION, 

Price,  62  cents. 

THE  PRACTICAL  FARRIER,  FOR  FARMERS: 

COMPRISING    A   GENERAL   DESCRIPTION  OP   THE    NOBLE  AND   USEFUL   ANIMAL. 

THE    HORSE; 

WITH  MODES  OF  MANAGEMENT  IN  ALL  CASES,  AND  TREATMENT  IN  DISEA&E. 
TO    WHICH    IS   ADDED, 

A  PRIZE  ESSAY  ON  MULES  |  AND  AN  APPENDIX, 

Containing  Recipes  for  Diseases  of  Horses,  Oxen,  Cows,  Calves,  Sheep,  Dogs,  Swine,  &c.  &O. 

BIT  RICHARD  IGASOET,  M.  D., 

Formerly  of  Surry  County,  Virginia. 

In  one  volume,  12mo.;  Abound  in  cloth,  gilt. 

MASON'S  FARRIER  AND  STUD-BOOK-NEW  EDITION, 

THE  GENTLEMAN'S  NEW  POCKET  FARRIER: 

COMPRISING  A  GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  NOBLE  AND  USEFUL  ANIMAL, 

THE    HORSE; 

WITH  MODES  OF  MANAGEMENT  IN  ALL  CASES,  AND  TREATMENT  IN  DISEASE. 

BIT  RICHARD  MASON,  3N1.B., 

Formerly  of  Snrry  County,  Virginia. 

To  which  is  added,  A  PRIZE  ESSAY  ON  MULES  ;  and  AN  APPENDIX,  containing  Recipes  for 
Diseases  of  Horses,  Oxen,  Cows,  Calves,  Sh«ep,  Dogs,  Swine,  &c.  tic.  ;  with  Annals 
of  the  Turf,  American  Stud-Book,  Rules  for  Training,  Racing,  &.O. 

WITH  A   SUPPLEMENT, 

Comprising  an  Essay  on  Domestic  Animals,  especially  the  Horse  ;  with  Remaiks  on  Treatment  and 
Breeding  ;  together  with  Trotting  and  Racing  Tables,  showing  the  best  time  on  record  at  one, 
two,  three  and  four  mile  heats  ;  Pedigrees  of  Winning  Horses,  since  3839,  and  of  the  most 
celebrated  Stallions  and  Mares;  with  useful  Calving  and  Lambing  Tables.    By 
J.  S.  SKINNER,  Editor  now  of  the  Farmer's  Library,  New  York,  &c.  <fec. 

13 

LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

HINDS'S  FARRIERY  AND_STUD-BOOK-NEW  EDITION. 
FARRIERY, 

TAUGHT  ON  A  NEW  AND  EASY  PLAN: 

BEING 

1  €miim  on  tip  ®wnm  mill  Irribtrb  nf  tjj 

With  Instructions  to  the  Shoeing;  Smith,  Farrier,  and  Groom ;  preceded  by  a  Popular  Description  of 
the  Animal  Functions  in  Health,  and  how  these  are  to  be  restored  when  disordered. 

BY  JOHN    HINDS,  VETERINARY  SURGEON. 

With  considerable  Additions  and  Improvements,  particularly  adapted  to  this  country, 

BY  THOMAS  M.   SMITH, 
Veterinary  Surgeon,  and  Member  of  the  London  Veterinary  Medical  Society. 

WITH  A  SUPPLEMENT,  BY  J.  S.  SKINNER. 

The  publishers  have  received  numerous  flattering  notices  of  the  great  practical  value  of  these 
works.  The  distinguished  editor  of  the  American  Farmer,  speaking  of  them,  observes: — "We 
cannot  too  highly  recommend  these  books,  and  therefore  advise  every  owner  of  a  horse  to  obtain 
them." 

"There  are  receipts  in  those  books  that  show  how  Fvunder  may  be  cured,  and  the  traveller  pur- 
sue his  journey  the  next  day,  by  giving  a  tablespnonful  of  alum.  This  was  got  from  Dr.  P.  Thornton, 
of  Montpelier,  Eappahannock  county,  Virginia,  as  founded  on  his  own  observation  in  several  cases. 

"  The  constant  demand  for  Mason's  and  Hinds's  Farrier  has  induced  the  publishers,  Messrs.  Lip- 

g'mcott,  Grambo  &  Co.,  to  put  forth  new  editions,  with  a  '  Supplement'  of  100  pages,  by  J.  S.  Skinner, 
sq.    We  should  have  sought  to  render  an  acceptable  service  to  our  agricultural  readers,  by  giving 
a  chapter  from  the  Supplement,  'On  the  Relations  between  Man  and  the  Domestic  Animals,  espe- 
cially the  Horse,  and  the  Obligations  they  impose  ;'  or  the  one  on  '  The  Form  of  Animals ;'  but  that 
either  one  of  them  would  overrun  the  space  here  allotted  to  such  subjects." 

"  Lists  of  Medicines,  and  other  articles  which  ought  to  be  at  hand  about  every  training  and  livery 
stable,  and  every  Farmer's  and  Breeder's  establishment,  will  be  found  in  these  valuable  works." 


TO  CARPENTERS  AND  MECHANICS. 

Just  Published. 


A  NEW  AND  IMPROVED  EDITION  OP 


v  SEIKO  A  COMPLETE  BOOK  OF  LINES  FOR 

CARPENTRY  AND  JOINERY; 

Treating  fully  on  Practical  Geometry,  Saffit's  Brick  and  Plaster  Groins,  Niches  of  every  description, 

Sky-lights,  Lines  for  Roofs  and  Domes ;  with  a  great  variety  of  Designs  for  Roofs, 

Trussed  Girders,  Floors,  Domes,  Bridges,  <tc.,  Angle  Bars  for  Shop 

Fronts,  <tc.,  and  Raking  Mouldings. 

AL  SO, 

Additional  Plans  for  various  Stair-Cases,  with  the  Lines  for  producing  the  Face  and  Falling  Moulds, 
never  before  published,  and  greatly  superior  to  those  given  in  a  former  edition  of  this  work. 

BY  WILLIAM  JOHNSON,  ARCHITECT, 

OF   PHILADELPHIA. 

The  whole  founded  on  true  Geometrical  Principles ;  the  Theory  and  Practice  well  explained  and 
fully  exemplified,  on  eighty-three  copper  plates,  including  some  Observations  and  Calculations  on 
the  Strength  of  Timber. 

BY    PETER    NICHOLSON, 

Author  of  "The  Carpenter  and  Joiner's  Assistant,"  "The  Student's  Instructor  to  the  Fire 
Orders,"  &c. 

Thirteenth  Edition.     One  volume,  4to.,  well  bound. 

- 14  :  • 


LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


A  DICTIONARY  OF  SELECT  AND  POPULAR  QUOTATIONS, 

WHICH  ARE  IN  DAILY  USE. 

TAKEN  FROM  THE  LATIN,  FRENCH,  GREEK,  SPANISH  AND  ITALIAN  LANGUAGES. 

Together  with  a  copious  Collection  of  Law  Maxims  and  Law  Terms,  translated  into 

English,  with  Illustrations,  Historical  and  Idiomatic. 

NEW  AMERICAN  EDITION,  CORRECTED,  WITH  ADDITIONS. 

One  volume,   12mo. 

This  volume  comprises  a  copious  collection  of  legal  and  other  terms  which  are  in  common  use, 
with  English  translations  and  historical  illustrations  ;  and  we  should  judge  its  author  had  surely 
been  to  a  great  "  Feast  of  Languages,"  and  stole  all  the  scraps.  A  work  of  this  diameter  should 
have  an  extensive  sale,  as  it  entirely  obviates  a  serious  difficulty  in  which  most  readers  are  involved 
by  the  frequent  occurrence  of  Latin,  Greek,  and  French  passages,  which  we  suppose  are  introduced 
by  authors  for  a  mere  show  of  learning—  a  difficulty  very  perplexing  to  readers  in  general.  This 
"  Dictionary  of  Quotations,"  concerning  which  too  much  cannot  be  said  in  its  favour,  effectually 
removes  the  difficulty,  and  gives  the  reader  an  advantage  over  the  author  ;  for  we  believe  a  majority 
are  themselves  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of  the  terms  they  employ.  Very  few  truly  learned  authors 
will  insult  their  readers  by  introducing  Latin  or  French  quotations  in  their  writings,  when  "  plain 
English"  will  do  as  well  ;  but  we  will  not  enlarge  on  this  point. 

If  the  book  is  useful  to  those  unacquainted  with  other  languages,  it  is  no  less  valuable  to  the 
classically  educated  as  a  book  of  reference,  and  answers  all  the  purposes  of  a  Lexicon  —  indeed,  on 
many  accounts,  it  is  better.  It  saves  the  trouble  of  tumbling  over  the  larger  volumes,  to  which 
every  one,  and  especially  those  engaged  in  the  legal  profession,  are  very  often  subjected.  It  should 
have  a  place  in  every  library  in  the  country. 

RUSCHENBERGER'S  NATURAL  HISTORY, 

COMPLETE,     WITH    NEW    QLOSSAET. 


t  (Bhnunta  of  Ibtural  JBtatnnj, 

EMBRACING  ZOOLOGY,  BOTANY  AND  GEOLOGY: 

FOR  SCHOOLS,  COLLEGES  AND  FAMILIES. 
BY  V7.  S.  W.  EUTSCHESTBERGEH,  XX.  D. 

IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 

WITH  NEARLY  ONE  THOUSAND  ILLUSTRATIONS,  AND  A  COPIOUS  GLOSSARY. 
VoL  I.  contains  Vertebrate  Animals.    Vol.  II.  contains  Intervcrtebrate  Animals,  Botany,  and  Geology. 


A  Beautiful  and  Valuable  Presentation  Book. 


THE    POET'S    OFFERING* 

EDITED  BY  MRS.   HALE. 

With  a  Portrait  of  the  Editress,  a  Splendid  Illuminated  Title-Page,  and  Twelve  Beautiful  Engrav- 
ings by  Sartain.  Bound  in  rich  Turkey  Morocco,  and  Extra  Cloth,  Gilt  Edge. 

To  those  who  wish  to  make  a  present  that  will  never  lose  its  value,  this  will  be  found  the  most 
desirable  Gift-Book  ever  published. 

"  We  commend  it  to  all  who  desire  to  present  a  friend  with  a  volume  not  only  very  beautiful,  but 
of  solid  intrinsic  value."  —  Washington  Union. 

"A  perfect  treasury  of  the  thoughts  and  fancies  of  the  best  English  and  American  Poets.  The 
paper  and  pruning  are  beautiful,  arid  the  binding  rich,  elegant,  and  substantial ;  the  most  sensible 
and  attractive  of  all  the  elegant  gift-books  we  have  seen."  —  Evening  Bulletin. 

•'  The  publishers  deserve  the  thanks  of  the  public  for  so  happy  a  thought,  so  well  executed.  The 
engravings  are  by  the  best  artists,  and  the  other  portions  of  the  work  correspond  in  elegance."  — 
Public  Ledger. 

"  There  is  no  book  of  selections  so  diversified  and  appropriate  within  our  knowledge."— Pennsylv'n. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  as  well  as  elegant  books  ever  published  in  this  country."  —  Gotiey's 
Lady's  Book. 

"  It  is  the  most  beautiful  and  the  most  useful  offering  ever  bestowed  on  the  public.  No  individual 
of  literary  taste  will  venture  to  be  without  it."—  The  City  Item. 

15 


LIPPINCOTT,  GRAMBO  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

THE  YOUNG  DOMINICAN; 
OR,  THE  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  INQUISITION, 

AND  OTHER  SECRET  SOCIETIES  OF  SPAIN. 
BY  M.  V.  DE  FEREAL. 

WITH  HISTORICAL  NOTES,  BY  M,  MANUEL  DE  CUENDIAS, 

TRANSLATED    FROM    THE    FRENCH. 

ILLUSTRATED  WITH  TWENTY  SPLENDID  ENGRAVINGS  BY  FRENCH  ARTISTS, 
One  volume,  octavo. 

SAY'S  POUTIICAL  ECONOMY. 

A  TREATISE  ON  POLITICAL  ECONOMY; 

Or,  The  Production,  Distribution  and  Consumption  of  Wealth. 

BV   JEAN   BAPTISTS   SATT. 

FIFTH  AMERICAN   EDITION,   WITH   ADDITIONAL   NOTES, 
BY  G.  C.    BIDDLE,   ESQ. 

In  one  volume,  octavo. 

It  would  be  beneficfal  to  our  country  if  all  those  who  are  aspiring:  to  office,  were  required  by  their 
constituents  to  be  familiar  with  the  pages  of  Say. 

The  distinguished  biographer  of  the  author,  in  noticing  this  work,  observes :  "  Happily  for  science, 
he  commenced  that  study  which  forms  the  basis  of  his  admirable  Treatise  on  Political  Economy  ;  a 
work  which  not  only  improved  under  his  hand  with  every  successive  edition,  but  has  been  translated 
into  roost  of  the  European  languages." 

The  Editor  of  the  North  American  Review,  speaking  of  Say,  observes,  that  *  he  is  the  most 
popular,  and  perhaps  the  most  able  writer  on  Political  Economy,  since  the  time  of  Smith." 

LAURENCE  STERNE'S  WORKS, 

WITH  A  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR: 

WRITTEN    BY   HIMSELF. 

WITH  SEVEN  BEAUTIFUL  ILLUSTRATIONS,   ENGRAVED  BY  GILBERT  AND  GIHON, 
FROM  DESIGNS  BY  DARLEY. 

One  volume,    octavo;    cloth,   gilt. 

To  commend  or  to  criticise  Sterne's  Works,  in  this  age  of  the  world,  would  be  all  "  wasteful  and 
extravagant  excess."  Uncle  Toby  —  Corporal  Trim  — the  Widow  — Le  Fevre  — Poor  Maria— the 
Captive  —  even  the  Dead  Ass,  —  this  is  all  we  have  to  say  of  Sterne;  and  in  the  memory  of  these 
characters,  histories,  and  sketches,  a  thousand  follies  and  worse  than  follies  are  forgotten.  TLe 
volume  is  a  very  handsome  one. 

THE  MEXICAN  WAR  AND  ITS  HEROES; 

A  COMPLETE  HISTOBY  OF  THE  MEXICAN  WAK, 

EMBRACING  ALL  THE  OPERATIONS   UNDER  GENERALS   TAYLOR  AND  SCOTT. 

WITH  A  BIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  OFFICERS. 

ALSO, 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  CONQUEST  OF  CALIFORNIA  AND  NEW  MEXICO, 

Under  Gen.  Kearny,  Cols.  Doniphan  and  Fremont.    Together  with  Numerous  Anecdotes  of  the 

War,  and  Personal  Adventures  of  the  Officers.    Illustrated  with  Accurate 

Portraits,  and  other  Beautiful  Engravings. 

In  one  volume,  12mo. 
16 


UCSB  LIBRARY 


A     000607312     6 


